Kunoichi Times Four
by Chloe19Grace13Maeve
Summary: When April makes three new friends, what happens to the guys and April hanging out? Is Donnie in trouble of losing touch with one girl he's ever really met and loves? Is Master Splinter's family really dead? Read to find out! R&R! NO FLAMING! There will be OC/Turtle pairing. I also do not own TMNT or any songs I may or may not put in here! Just the plot and three OCs!
1. New Friends

Chapter One

Another day of the typical high school that April O'Neil went to was officially to an end of the day. April walked out of the building of brick and was almost run over by about 97% of her student body. April was about to walk away, ignoring all of her annoying classmates, when she heard a faint sobbing sound behind her.

The bright red-haired teen turned to see a girl that had short brown hair and was wearing an orange shirt with a white tutu, white leggings and orange rain boots. Her papers were everywhere and she was sobbing over a ripped drawing.

"Hey…are you okay?" April questioned, kneeling on the ground next to the girl.

The strange girl looked up at April and wiped away a single tear that fell from her gorgeous orange eyes.

"I think so, but my drawing got ripped. I can't draw it again. It was special." The girl replied with a voice that was kind and soft. It almost reminded April of Mikey.

"What if I helped you?"

"Oh, I don't know. What if it doesn't look the same?"

"That'll be the beauty of it." April helped the girl to her feet. "How about tomorrow? I have a study we could work in."

"Okay, sounds fun. Thanks…oh, I don't even know your name."

"My name's April."

"Mine's Chloe. Nice to meet you, April."

"You, too, Chloe. Hey, what's your drawing of anyways?"

"Oh, you'd think it was crazy."

"If I'm going to help you, I'm gonna need to know anyways."

"Good point. Alright. It's a…giant turtle. I've got a pet painted turtle, and I would absolutely love to play with her while she's three sizes bigger."

"That's actually not stupid at all. You have a big imagination, and having your pet turtle be _huge_ would be so cool."

"Really? Aw, thanks April." Chloe said hugging April. "You're a great friend, April."

Later that evening, April came running into the lair.

"Guys! Guys! Guess what happened today!"

"April, slow down! What's wrong? Purple dragons again?" Donatello questioned.

"No…it's just—before I met you four, I couldn't really make any friends."

"So…now you have us."

"But that's just it. Today, on my way out of school today, I met this girl named Chloe. And wow! She is so funny."

"You met a new friend? Cool. We're happy for you." Leo said.

The guys started to walk away.

"Wait, don't you wanna hear what Chloe told me?"

"You're a good friend?" Mikey questioned.

"Well, actually yes, but before she said that. Chloe had a ripped picture she drew that day and guess what it was of."

"A rainbow? Unicorn? I don't know what girls draw." Raph said.

"It was of a giant turtle."

"Wait. Like one of us?" Mikey questioned.

"Yep. And she drew it because she has a pet turtle and she wishes it to big so she could play with it. Isn't that ironic?"

"That she drew a giant turtle and there are four living under her feet? Oh, yeah…that's _weird_." Raphael replied.

"April, this is very good for you. Your father would be proud of you." Master Splinter said just walking into the room.

"Thank you, Sensei. Actually, I wanted to talk to you…in private?"

"Of course, April. Come."

The two walked across the room and to Master Splinter's bedroom. Closing the door, the four guys tried to listen in, but failed. A little while later, April walked out, holding one arm.

"I hope you understand, April." Master Splinter said firmly.

"Hai, Sensei. Thank you." April said bowing in respect.

April walked over and sat on the couch with her friends.

"What was that all about?" Donnie asked.

"I don't want to talk about it right now." April replied.

The next day, April and Chloe met in the art room for study hall.

"April!" Chloe shouted, hugging her friend. "I'm so glad you came. Come here. I want you to meet Grace, and Maeve. These two are my friends."

"Hey, Chloe told us about you. Nice to meet you." Grace greeted.

The other girl, Maeve, just sat there and had her headphones in with loud rock music playing. Grace had long black hair in a braid, and had dark blue but gentle eyes. Her outfit had consisted of a short dark blue dress, black skinny jeans, and black boots. Maeve on the other hand, she looked like the opposite of Grace. Maeve had short brown hair with the tips dyed a hot pink, and hardened red eyes. She wore a white long sleeve, hot pink vest, black ripped jeans, and white combat boots with hot pink lacing.

"Thanks for offering to help fix Chloe's drawing. That was very nice."

"No problem. I felt bad because she actually reminded me of one of my other friends."

"Oh, cool!" Chloe said loudly.

April just smiled as Maeve covered Chloe's mouth.

"So…my friends are having a sleep over this weekend. Their dad said I could invite Chloe. Maybe I could ask if you two can come." April suggested, starting a trace of the new drawing.

"A sleep over? With who?" Maeve asked, her voice as hard as her eyes.

"Well, it's a family of four brothers and their father. They've actually been helping me cope since my father's gone missing."

"Oh, sorry to hear that April. If there's anything we can do…" Grace trailed off.

"Thanks Grace. Anyways, what do you think of the party? I think you three would have a lot of fun. I hang with them all the time."

"I'd have to ask my grandparents, but I'm sure it'll be fine." Chloe replied.

"I don't think I'll be able to go." Grace said.

"Why not?" April, out of curiosity, questioned.

"My parents died when I was baby, and I've been living in foster care ever since." Grace replied.

"Maeve and I live with our grandparents." Chloe said.

"Wait. You live together?" April questioned.

"Maeve and Chloe are twins."

"No way! That's so cool!"  
"Oh, yeah, cool. You wouldn't be saying that if you were actually twins with this gal."

"Maeve, Grandmamma said it's not nice to make fun of me."

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry."

And then picture had been finished.

"There you go, Chloe. All you have to do is color it." April said, handing the paper to her friend.

"Oh, thank you, April. It looks fantastic." Chloe said, hugging April.

That's when the bell rang for the class to end.

"Oh, gotta go. Bye April."

Maeve and Chloe waved goodbye as they ran out of the room.

"Hey, April…" Grace was behind her. "Here, take this. These are our cell numbers. Four way tonight, 'kay?" Grace said, leaving as well.

"Uh…thanks. Later!" April called as Grace left. "Four way?"


	2. Sleepover Troubles

Chapter Two

That night at the Lair, the guys were trying to focus on training but April, on the couch in the living room, was laughing loudly, which caused them to continuously mess up. After a while, Master Splinter started to get annoyed by the disruption of April and cracked.

"Miss. O'Neil! Please, be quiet so that we may practice with ease."

"Huh? Oh, sorry, Master Splinter. Chloe? Yeah, I gotta go. I'll call you girls later tonight. Yes, _fine_! Bye."

April hung up her cell phone and walked over to sit on the side on the dojo area. After training, April sat with the guys and watched TV for a while. The five were silent between one another.

"So, April…who were you talking to on the phone earlier?"

"_Raph_!" Leo snapped.

"What? It's a simple question." Raph countered.

"It's okay, Leo. It was only Chloe. She was asking about the sleepover this weekend."

"You're having a sleepover? Aw…I wanna come." Mikey whined.

"You don't even know what that is, Shell-for-brains." Donnie said.

"A sleepover is when one or more people stay over at your house and you have this big party and everything."

"What are you gonna do? Paint each other's fingernails?" Raph joked.

"We could do yours if you wanted, but Chloe, Maeve and Grace don't like their fingernails painted." April countered back.

"Wait, how would you four do ours? We're not going." Donnie commented.

"Of course not. You guys are already where it's gonna be." April said.

"What?" The four said in unison.

"How'd you get Master Splinter to let you bring strangers down here? We had a hard enough time to let him let you down here." Leo said.

"I asked a couple days ago if I could invite Chloe and some friends to come down here. Make Chloe's wish come true about hanging out with a giant turtle. At first he said no, but then…I convinced him."

"How'd you convince him?" Mikey asked.

"I saw a picture of his daughter and wife in his room. I asked him what happened. When he told me, I remembered where I'd seen the baby before. It was in my year book last year."

"Why would there be-"

"It was a baby portrait idea last year. While I was going through my year book, I saw Grace's baby picture. I told Master Splinter and he said he wanted to meet her."

"His daughter died in a fire when she was a baby, April. Plus, her name was-"

"I know, Donnie. Miwa's a beautiful name too. But that's the thing…she's lived her entire life believing her father died and was raised in a foster home."

"So, you're going to unite them together again?" Leo questioned.

"Yes."

"Aw…that's so nice, April."

"But what about his…appearance?" Donnie questioned.

"I'm taking care of it." Then April looked at her phone. "Oh, I've gotta go. I'll see you guys this weekend. See ya!" April shouted as she left.

The weekend rolled around and the three girls met April at an abandoned apartment building.

"Ready?" April asked her friends.

"I sure am!"

"Well, I've gotta tell you a few things first. But you gotta promise me, you won't ever tell _anyone_ about what your about to see."

"I promise." Maeve and Grace swore.

"I promise too. Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye."

"You and your _My Little Pony_." Maeve groaned.

(_I don't own MLP either!)_

"Okay…Maeve, Chloe? I know it's your birthday and all, so I got you two your wishes."

"I get to kick butt?"

"Hang out with my giant turtle?"

"Yes, to both." Then April turned to Grace. "Grace, remember when you told me about your real parents? Well, I think I found your real father."

"That's impossible, April. My father's dead."

"No…no, he's not. He thought you were dead. Grace isn't your real name. Your real name is Miwa."

"Miwa?"

"Yes, and I'm gonna bring you to your father but he doesn't look like he did before. He's still your father though."

"Right, I understand. I want to meet him, April. I don't care what he looks like." Grace said.

"Alright…Then, let's go."

The four climbed down into the sewers and after a long walk in the almost darkness (April had her flashlight on), they arrived to the Lair.

"Remember what I told you three, alright?" April assured.

The three followed April inside and no one was there, or so it seemed.

"Guys, there's no need to hide! These are the girls I was telling you about!" April called.

"April…" Master Splinter said coming from the shadows. "These are the girls?"

The three girls were terrified. Chloe turned around and found herself face-to-face with the four guys.

"AH! Maeve, help!" Chloe screamed falling backward.

"Back away from my sister, punks!" Maeve said before attempting to punch and kick the four guys.

Mikey, while Maeve was distracted with the other three, tried to help Chloe up.

"Back away from me!" Chloe said.

"Chloe, it's alright. He's friendly. They all are, Maeve."

Maeve stopped, not only from April talking to her but also because she was tired, and crossed her arms.

"Well, you could've told me that earlier, April." Maeve snapped.

"Sorry, but you all panicked. I told you that they looked different."

"We didn't think you meant _this _different, April." Grace said.

"Miwa…" Master Splinter said quietly.

"Grace…please." April said as she was blocking her friends' path of leaving.

The three starred at April, waiting for either her to move or to do something to make them stay. Chloe, as sweet as she is, turned around. She saw the guys, how sad they were that April's friends didn't like them. As April tried to explain why they should stay, Chloe quietly walked over to the four guys and bent over to see their faces.

"You—You aren't scary at all, are you? Just misunderstood." Chloe said, looking at Mikey.

"Uh…You…don't like us."

"You scared me, is all. Now that I look at you, you're not scary."

"You don't find us…monstrous?" Donnie questioned.

"Unnatural, yes, but not…_monstrous_."

"Chloe! Get away from them! We're going home." Maeve said.

As Grace and Maeve started walking out, Chloe looked at the guys again. She stood up and had her hands in little fists.

"No." Chloe said.

Maeve turned around.

"Excuse me? Chloe, look at them. Their-"

"Mutant turtles, Maeve. They may not be Vicky, but it's close enough to my wish today." Chloe walked over to April and hugged her. "Thank you, April."

"Chloe…we should go." Grace said.

"No! I'm sick of always doing what you two what to do! I'm staying." Chloe said stomping her foot on the ground.

Grace and Maeve looked at each other, and then sighed in defeat.

"Fine, we'll stay." Grace said.

"We are?" Maeve questioned.

"Yes, Maeve. We don't really have a choice. I'm not leaving Chloe alone."

_A couple hours later…_

"Pizza's here!" Raph called as he walked into the kitchen.

"Pizza? Cool! I can't feed Vicky this."

"Who is Vicky, anyways?" Mikey asked before chomping on a slice of pizza.

"Oh, Vicky's this painted turtle I found on the street. I took her in one day on the way home from school. She had a broken leg and was terrified."

"So, you took care of her?"

"Still do. I brought her to the vet's and she said Vicky's not ready to be back out on her own yet. So I get to take care of her."

"Aw…kinda sounds like Raph."

"What'cha mean?" Maeve questioned.

"I have a pet turtle." Raph replied.

Chloe, Grace and Maeve just get gave him a very confused look.

"What?" Leo questioned.

"A turtle…that has a pet turtle…that's a little redundant." Maeve said.

Grace and Maeve weren't eating, still not trusting the guys.

"Aren't you two hungry? There's plenty of pizza here." April said.

"Yeah, but probably not for long if Mikey keeps it up." Donnie said.

Mikey has about five slices of pizza in his mouth.

"What?" He asked as his mouth is still full. Mikey swallowed before continuing. "I'm hungry."

Chloe, who was sitting next to him, was giggling as she found Mikey funny.

"Maeve, you wanna practice for tomorrow?" Grace asked.

"Alright. Come on."

"What's tomorrow?" Donnie asked.

"It's none of your-"

"It's a judo tournament. Grace and Maeve are _really_ good. They're the top of their class." Chloe explained.

"Not the way they were coming at us." Raph commented.

"Say again?" Maeve asked.

"Uh…be careful. Maeve's got attitude issues." Chloe warned.

"So does Raph." Leo joked.

"My sons, why do we not let Raphael and Maeve have a match to help for tomorrow?" Master Splinter suggested.

"No offense, but I don't wanna hurt the little girl." Raph said.

"Takes one to know one." Maeve said back.

"What did you say?"

"I'm rubber and you're glue. Anything you say bounces off me and sticks to you…"

Raph just got confused.

"Works every time." The three girls said in unison.

"I am _so _remembering that one." April said.

Grace starting giggling and then remembered her and Maeve weren't supposed to like them. She shrugged it off and continued to have fun for the rest of the night. After dinner, the eight entered the living room area, but Grace pulled Maeve aside.

"What's up, Grace? You found a reason for me to beat them?"

"No…I think we should apologize to them. They did invite us in and to stay over. Also…they seem very kind and I've got this feeling in my stomach that's saying to trust them."

"I don't know, Grace."

"Come on, Maeve."

"Fine…"

The two walked over.

"Everything okay?" Leo asked.

"No…Maeve and I were talking and…we feel very sorry for the way we acted when we first got here."

"Yeah. We acted like jerks."

"Please, forgive us?" The two girls said.

The guys looked at each other before looking back at the girls.

"It's okay. We didn't except anything less. We forgive you." Leo replied.

"Oh, good. And, April, Chloe...I am so sorry for the way I treated you earlier. I now see you made new friends and, even they are _different_, they are fun to hang out with and harmless...to say the least. Can you ever forgive me?" Grace said.

"Of course I can Grace! You're my best friend!" Chloe said, hugging her friend.

"I'm so glad, Chloe. April?"

"Oh, I can never stay mad at you, Grace. I forgive you."

"Now, we're all hunky-dory, can we please watch the movie now?" Raph asked.

"No problem, Raph." April said.

"Raph? Wait…isn't that short for—No way! Raphael! The famous artist we're learning about in art history, Chloe!" Grace said.

"That is so cool." Chloe shouted.

"Yeah…I'm Leonardo and this Donatello and Michelangelo."

"That…is…so…cool! We've learned about them all in art history!" Chloe said.

"The movie?" Raph questioned.

"Sorry…go ahead." Grace said.

So Maeve put the movie in and it started. The movie was _The Orphanage_ of 2008.


	3. To Begin--

Chapter Three

The next morning, Grace and Maeve woke up early to work on their judo performances for the tournament later that day.

"Hy-Ah! _Juji Gatame!_" Grace called.

"Dang it! Why do you always get me in that?"

"Because you don't see it coming."

"What are you girls working on?" Master Splinter questioned, walking over.

Master Splinter had woke up from the sounds of the training, so did everyone else.

"Oh…We were only preparing for our tournament later today…sir." Grace said, bowing.

"You are very skilled, both of you."

"Thank you." The two girls said.

"We'd better finish, Grace. This time, I'll sweep the floor with you."

"Good luck, you'll need it."

The girls continued for about another hour, Grace pinned Maeve every time.

"Ah! Oh, stupid _Kesa Gatama_." Maeve muttered.

The two walked into the kitchen to grab something to eat while everyone else was just finishing up.

"Sorry, Maeve. You're just…predictable in my book."

"That's because you know me."

"Why don't you train against me for a little bit?" April suggested.

"You know judo?" Maeve questioned.

"Well, I've been training with Master Splinter for a few weeks now and I think I could train against you. Besides, I could use a little work out." April said.

"Okay…After breakfast, you've got a deal." Maeve said while shaking April's hand.

So, after breakfast, April and Maeve stood in the dojo area, preparing to fight. They bowed to each other and started. No one was getting pinned or anything, the two girls tried but failed. After a while, April grabbed Maeve by the shoulder with one hand and her arm with her other hand, throwing Maeve over April's leg into an _Ashi Guruma_.

"Wow, April, you're impressive. That took me months to do." Grace said.

"Thanks Grace." April said, still holding Maeve in the pin.

"Um…hey…still down here, April." Maeve said.

April and Grace still talked while Maeve was stuck in the pin until she started tapping.

"Huh? Oh, sorry, Maeve." April said.

Maeve sat up and cracked her neck.

"I'll be okay. But Grace is right, you are impressive. You should come to judo with us."

"That sounds fun, but I've ninjutsu training and homework. I don't know."

"Hey, maybe we could train with you." Grace suggested.

"That's something to talk about with Master Splinter, but I'm sure it'll be okay. Hey, Chloe, wanna be trained to be a _kunoichi_?"

Chloe, and the other two, got really confused. They knew some Japanese, but this was a new term.

"What's a _kunoichi_?" Chloe asked.

"It means female ninja. That's what April's training to be." Leo explained.

"Cool! So I sneak around in the shadows and be all secret-y." Chloe said, trying to be stealthy and hide behind the couch.

"Chloe, what'd Ms. Gremmer say about making up words?" Grace said.

"Don't use words that don't make sense or that are not in the dictionary." Chloe dragged. "But I do want to become a _kunoichi_."

"That does sound fun. After the tournament, we could—Oh, wait, we can't. Our families will want to bring us out tonight. Maybe tomorrow we could ask." Grace suggested.

"Where are you going?" Mikey asked, nosy.

"Our grandparents, and Grace's foster parents, are like best friends and every time we have a tournament, we go out to eat and have ice cream when we're done. It doesn't matter if we win or lose." Maeve explained.

"It's so much fun." Chloe added.

"Hey, Chloe? When are you starting up track?" Grace asked.

"Track? You actually run track?" April asked.

"Yeah, Chloe's the fastest runner on the team."

"I sure am. And I start next month for inside training during the winter. I am going to be _so _tired."

"No kidding. I remember last year, you came home around six, showered, ate, and went to sleep around nine."

"Then I had to wake up early, around four in the morning, and do all my essays for school. I'm gonna die!"

"You can't be _that far _behind." April said.

"I'm not yet. But this year I took only a few classes I needed that I can finish up next year too, and the rest are easy and almost never gives out homework." Chloe said.

"Well, that was smart." Donnie commented.

"It was Grace's idea."

Grace looked at her cell phone, and noticed the time.

"Oh, we better go. Maeve and I have to get ready for our tournament in a few hours."

"I could come watch you two, if it's all right." April suggested.

The girls started stuffing their things into their backpacks.

"Sure. Then Chloe can have someone to sit with." Maeve said.

"And maybe you could go out with us afterward." Chloe added.

"Cool. Sounds like fun. Where's the tournament?"

"At the middle school, downtown." Grace replied.

"Great. See you then." April said as the three left. "Wow, that was fun."

"Yeah, the girls are sweet." Leo replied.

"Sweet? They are incredible!"

"They're not _that_ incredible…are they?" Donnie questioned.

"Wait…are you four worried that I'm not going to come see you ever again?"

The four started to overlap their replies before pretending that, that wasn't the case.

"You are worried! Listen, just because I've got new friends up there (points to the ceiling) doesn't mean I'm not going to come see you four any more. I mean, that's why I brought them down here. So we could hang out together." April explained.

April looked at the guys and they didn't seem to be assured.

"Come on guys! Fine, how about this. Tomorrow, I'll come in the morning after breakfast and hang out with you guys _all day_. No girls, just us. We can train, hang out…whatever."

The guys nodded in agreement, after a moment, and the deal was set. The next day, the guys had just finished their breakfast and was waiting for April. Raph was flipping through comics and magazines. Donnie was modifying a new invention. And Leo and Mikey watched _Space Heroes_. Two hours passed and the guys were getting worried. There was no April and there was no call.

"Where is she?" Donnie wondered out loud.

"Donnie, I'm sure she's fine. April's probably…just…sleeping still. Yeah. She did have a big day yesterday and besides, April promised." Leo said.

Another two hours passed by and April came running in with her back pack.

"Hey, guys. I know I am so late, but I over slept and I slept through my alarm clock. I am so, so sorry."

"April, slow down."

"Yeah, it's cool." Mikey said, agreeing with Raph.

"Thanks you guys. Oh, I feel so stupid! How could I _sleep _through my alarm clock? I mean, you're supposed to wake up to them, not sleep through them." April said as she dropped on the couch.

"April, it's fine. Just relax." Donnie said.

'_Ring ding ding, ding ding ding ding/It's all about the ringtone that I sing/Ring ding ding, ding ding ding ding/I've never spent my money for my telephone ring_'

"And that's Grace…I'm going to ignore it, because this is the day I will not talk to them." April said, putting her phone in her bag.

April's phone, being muffled by her bag, continued ring a minute later. '_Ring ding ding, ding ding ding ding/It's all about the ringtone that I sing…_'

The guys looked at April, then at each other, then back at April.

"Answer it." Leo said.

"No…This is not about them." April said ignoring the call again.

Another minute later, her phone started a new ringtone. '_I took a walk with my basket full of goodies/Outside my boundaries/With my red hoodie on/I found a forest and it led to a valley/Sooner or later/All the daylight was gone_'

"Who's calling now?" Mikey asked.

"No one. Blocked number." April said, lying.

"Your phone screen says _Maeve _across it." Donnie pointed.

"Ugh! Fine! They might want to know…why …I hung up…on them this morning."

"April, is that why you were late?" Leo asked.

"Yes! I'm sorry! I didn't want to tell you because I thought you might think I was forgetting about you and—Oh!"

"April…you shouldn't have lied to us." Donnie said.

"I know! And I'm sorry! It's just—Chloe called me at six this morning and started asking me some random questions about her pet turtle because she thought Vicky was sick. So I was on the phone with her for an hour. When I hung up, I tried to get another hour of sleep, but then Grace called me. She was asking me about training to be a kunoichi and then Maeve was calling me and we got into a three way calling and then Chloe joined in and—Ugh! I tried to get off the phone for two hours with them. When nothing worked, I hung up. They've been calling me ever since."

"Wow…okay…" Leo said, no one else knowing how to respond to that.

"Tell me about it. They talk and talk and talk! I can't even ever get a word in!"

"Wow. And we were worried we were losing you to them." Mikey said.

"And I see now that you are losing me to those three. I am so sorry guys. I need to find a way to balance both groups of friends while we don't all hang out together." April said.

"You'll find a way. Don't worry." Leo assured. "So...how'd the tournament go?"

"Awesome! Grace won second place and Maeve won third in their age group. It was amazing. I recorded it on my phone-Wait. Nevermind. The rest of this day, I am spending with you four."

Later that afternoon, the guys were watching the television while April had fallen asleep on the couch earlier.

"The poor girl is exhausted." Leo said putting a blanket over his friend.

"Yeah…those girls must be exhausting. They just keep going." Donnie agreed.

Then there was a small shuffle from the entrance of the Lair, which caused the guys to go into defense mode. After a moment, three figures walked in and were pushed against the wall by the guys.

"Hey! What are you doing?" A familiar voice asked.

"Maeve? What are you three doing sneaking around?" Leo asked.

"We were just being careful. We were making sure we weren't followed." Grace said.

"Why would you be followed?" Raph asked as the guys let the girls go.

"I got a vibe. A bad one."

"A bad vibe?" Donnie questioned.

"I felt someone…watching…us last night. It was someone bad, Leo." Chloe explained.

"Okay, okay. Let's talk to Master Splinter. He'll be able to make sense of this…_vibe_." Leo said.

"By the way, have you heard from April today? We were talking this morning and got cut off. We've been trying to call her back all day but no answer."

"She was spending the day with us. April's asleep on the couch because she's really tired." Donnie replied.

"Thank goodness she's okay. I was so worried. Chloe's vibes tend to come true a lot of the time."

"Yeah, if it wasn't for Chloe, Grace might be dead right now." Maeve said, swinging an arm around her sister's neck.

"What'cha mean?" Mikey asked.

"Well, Chloe and I were walking down town one day, we were on our way to this frozen yogurt shop, when we heard a scream." Maeve started.

_Flashback_

"What flavor are you gonna try, Maeve?" Past Chloe asked.

"I don't know, Buckethead. For the hundredth time, I'll see when I get there." Past Maeve replied.

Then Chloe got a shiver.

"What's with you? You cold, Chloe?"

"No…I got this…_bad_ feeling. Like something bad is gonna happen."

"You're just being stupid."

"I am not, Maeve!"

_AAHH!_

"What was that?" Chloe asked.

"It was a scream, Dummy. Come on." Maeve said as she started running toward the scream.

When the two got there, Chloe and Maeve saw three Purple Dragons attacking Grace. Two of them were holding her by the arms and the other one was holding a knife to her throat.

"Tell me, girly. Where do you keep them?" The knife guy asked.

"I really don't know what you're talking about! Please…let me go." Grace was begging.

"Hey, ugly! Let her go!" Maeve shouted.

Chloe was terrified and hiding behind so cardboard boxes.

"What are you gonna do if we don't?" Another of them asked.

"Hy-ya! Come and find out, punks." Maeve said, standing in an intimating stance.

The three starred at her and they let Grace go, who in turn fell to the ground, and started running at Maeve. Maeve dodged them all and they all ran, head first, into the brick solid wall behind her, knocking them out. Maeve and Chloe, who was impressed with her sister's actions, ran over to Grace and helped her.

"Man, she's out cold and really badly injured. We'd better get her back to the house." Maeve said as she started lifting Grace under the arms. "Grab her legs. We'll have to carry her down the street."

"Good thing we live right here." Chloe said.

_End Flashback_

"So, you had this…_bad vibe,_ as you put it, and you saved Grace's life?" Master Splinter questioned.

"Yes, sir. I get them all the time. But only when bad things are gonna happen, life threatening bad things. I had one this morning when April hung up with us. I was afraid she was in terrible."

"Maybe April should stay the night…just to make sure she's alright." Leo suggested.

"No, the girls will stay at April's house. April said that there were plans already set for that tonight."

"Yes, sir." The three girls replied.

"Girls, you may call me Master Splinter. You do not have to call me sir."

"Oh, of course…Master Splinter. And we were also wondering, if it was okay if you would train us, like April. To be a kunoichi, all three of us." Grace asked.

Master Splinter looked surprised for a quick moment before thinking, wondering if it was a good idea. After a few moments, Master Splinter had made a decision.

"I will only train you if you are ready to be drained physically, mentally, and spiritually. So my question to you is if you are ready for such responsibility."

The girls looked at each other and then back at Master Splinter.

"We're ready, Master Splinter." They said in unison.

"Good. Then you will start the after tomorrow, with April."

The girls cheered for a quick moment before regaining themselves and bowing to Master Splinter, who returned this bow. Little did they know what was coming to them.


	4. Spotlight On Me

Chapter Four

A month later, the girls were training with April…as they had been for a month. They were doing a one-on-one situation. April was against Grace, whom Grace won, and Chloe was against Maeve, which in hind's sight probably wasn't the best match up for the girls.

"I beat you again, Maeve." Chloe said.

"Gosh, darn it! I can't get a beat on you, Chloe. How do you move so fast?"

"I _am _the _fastest _runner on the track team, aren't I?"

"I just hope I can beat you this time, Chloe." Grace replied.

"Good luck, Grace."

"You too, Chloe." Grace replied again before bowing to her friend.

It started out as any other training session, the girls _trying, _but not succeeding, on trying to grab the other. No weapons are used, just hands and feet. After a while, Grace grabbed Chloe's punch, that be sided her head, and threw her in a Seoi Naga. Grace had won.

"Oh…ow." Chloe groaned.

"I didn't throw you too hard, did I Chloe?"

"Nah, I'm fine. I did hit my neck on something, though."

"Is everything okay over here, girls?"

"Yes, Master Splinter, but Chloe hit her neck on something when Grace threw her." April replied.

"I'll be okay." Chloe said as she rubbed the back of her neck.

"May I see?" Master Splinter questioned.

Chloe looked at her friends and then turned around, holding her short hair away, to show the red mark on her neck. Master Splinter walked around Chloe and kneeled on one knee to the gently touch the floor where Chloe had been thrown. Obviously, Master Splinter put many carpets down to insure the fact that no injury came to his students while training. When Master Splinter touched the ground, he felt something hard under the carpet, something that shouldn't have been there in the first place. Master Splinter lifted the carpet to see that a metal pipe had been placed underneath the carpet.

"Donatello, come here please!" Master Splinter called.

Donnie walked over, wondering why his master would be calling him.

"Yes, Master Splinter?"

"Donatello, can you tell me why there is a metal pipe hidden underneath this carpet?"

Donnie was blank, and then he went back to that morning.

"Oh, Mikey was playing a prank on me this morning. I needed that for my new invention. He must've hidden it under the carpets in here, last place I'd think to look. Sorry, Sensei." Donnie explained.

"It is alright, Donatello. Just make sure it doesn't happen again."

"_Hai_, Sensei." Donnie bowed before leaving with the pipe piece.

"Chloe, are you sure you'll be alright?" April asked.

"It's starting to hurt more."

"And it's getting swollen. Let's get you some ice, Chloe." Grace said.

"Alright."

Grace sat Chloe on the couch while April got some ice.

"What happened?" Leo asked.

"Mikey hid one of Donnie's pipes under the carpeting in the dojo. When Grace threw Chloe, she landed her neck on the pipe pretty hard." Maeve explained.

April walked in and put the ice gently on the back of Chloe's neck.

"Oh, that hurts!"

"It'll probably hurt for a while. Want me to hold it on for you?" April asked.

"Thank you, April." Chloe replied.

The guys continued to do their things around the Lair. Mikey was sitting on the other part of the couch, feeling guilty. After a while, April went to pour the melted ice out and Mikey walked over.

"Uh…I wanted to say…I'm sorry, Chloe. I didn't think that you guys—I mean girls—were training that ruff, or at all, today. I'm sorry."

Chloe pondered on this for a brief moment before answering.

"Aw…it's alright, Mikey. It was a prank and an accident. Don't worry about it."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

That's when Grace walked in and noticed nobody really watching the television, so she picked up the remote and changed the channel. Then the theme song to _Space Heroes_ sounded.

"Here we go again." Maeve groaned.

"You know I like this show, Maeve."

"Yeah, but do you _have _to watch it _now_?"

"Come on! It's my favorite episode." Grace groaned.

That's Leo walked in and noticed the television playing his favorite show.

"Hey, who switched the channel?" Leo asked.

"Oh, sorry. I thought nobody was watching it." Grace said.

"Oh, no. It's okay. It's just…nobody likes this show except for me."

"You watch _Space Heroes_, too? No way!"

"_You_ watch _Space Heroes_?"

"Uh, duh! Captain Ryan is the best hero I've ever seen before!"

"_Gentlemen, I have a bold and daring plan. There's no time for hesitation. My orders must be carried out._" The two quoted.

Grace squealed.

"Oh, my gosh! I can't believe it! Another _Space Heroes_ follower!" Grace jumped up and down.

"I've never met anyone who's actually quoted Captain Ryan."

"Hey! I did that one time!" Raph pointed.

"And I thank you for that _one time_. Yet, you don't do it like Grace or I."

"Yeah, you gotta do it right. So, you quote Captain Ryan, you've gotta be the leader."

"That's right. Leo's the leader." Mikey said plainly.

"I think Leo's a great leader." April pointed.

"Really? Thanks April." Leo said.

"No problem."

"What about you Grace? Are you the leader of something?" Leo asked.

"What? Me? No way. I could never be the leader."

"Why not? You seem like the type." April said.

"No way! I could never lead."

"She's too scared because this one time-"

"No! We don't talk about...the _thing_." Grace shuttered.

"Come on, Gracie! That was three years ago. It'll be fine." Maeve said.

"Just...no, Maeve."

"It was debate team." Chloe blurted as she sat upside down on the couch.

"Chloe!" Grace snapped.

"She had to lead the debate team's discussion on one of the topics and she froze when she saw the crowd."

"Maeve!"

"Oh, my gosh, Grace. It's not the big of a deal." April replied.

"It is when you get booted _off _the debate team because you have stage fright." Grace said.

"You got kicked off the team for _that_? Well, that is stupid." Donnie said.

"Thanks Donnie, but I guess it doesn't matter much anymore. I've never been on a stage again and never will be."

"Oh, yes you will." Chloe said, paying attention to the television.

"What are you talking about, Chloe?" April questioned.

"I signed Grace and I up for the talent show next month. I was gonna tell her tomorrow but..."

"Ah! Chloe! How could you do that?"

"Easily. I asked you and you said it was okay."

"When did you ask me?"

"In art class when you were trying to finish your quiz."

"I was concentrating on my quiz, Chloe! You could've asked me after!"

"No, because the sign ups were finished by then, remember?"

"Oh, no! No way I am going on stage! I'm gonna freeze again!"

"That's why I went back to sign ups again and signed April and Maeve to go on with us."

"Excuse me? And what were you planning on having us do, Chloe?" April asked.

"Dance, sing...whatever."

"I'm good with that." Maeve said.

"I don't know. I mean, I'm not a very good dancer...or singer." April said.

"That's why Grace could come with the dance for us. I've got a prefect song too."

"Let's start tomorrow at Central Park and we'll have lots of space." Maeve suggested.

"Girls! I have stage fright! How can I go on stage?" Grace asked.

"I believe I could help with that, Grace." Master Splinter replied, overhearing the conservation.

"You can?"

"Yes. Grace, follow me."

Grace followed Master Splinter to his room to talk. Chloe walked over to Donnie, who was already working on an invention.

"Hey, Donnie, can I show you something?" Chloe asked, holding a notebook.

"Uh...Sure Chloe. What is it?"

Chloe opened her notebook and showed Donnie a picture of what looked like a regular belt.

"A belt? That's what you wanted to show me?"

"Not just _any _belt. It's special."

"How so?"

"Well, when you wear it, you could look like something else. Like, for example, if you were to wear it, you could look human."

"Chloe, where'd you get this idea from?"

"Grace had a dream about you four coming to the talent show to watch us, but she said you were humans."

"So you came up with a design so that dream could come true?"

"Yeah. And when I saw you inventing the other day, I thought you could try to build it?" Chloe questioned her statement.

Donnie took the notebook and pondered the thought over in his head.

"Hmm...I'll try. But there's no grantee I'll be able to build this thing."

"Thanks Donnie! You're the best!" Chloe said as she hugged him.

Master Splinter and Grace had been in the room for two hours and then Grace finally walked out. The three other girls ran over.

"Well?" April questioned.

"We'll find out at the talent show." Grace said.

A month passed by so fast and they couldn't tell if Grace's fright was gone or not. The morning of the talent show, the girls were at school so the guys were by themselves. Donnie came running out of his lab after everyone had finished breakfast.

"Guys! You won't believe this! I think I did it!" Donnie shouted.

"Whoa, slow down, Donnie. What do you think you did?" Leo asked.

"Chloe's insane idea!"

"You mean the belt? You made one?" Mikey asked.

"I made four." Donnie said, pulling out four black belts.

"Cool! I wanna try." Mikey said as he grabbed one and whipped it on.

There was a flash of light and when Mikey's brothers looked at him again, Mikey had changed human. Mikey had blonde hair, blue eyes. And he was wearing an orange short sleeved hoodie sweater, white long sleeve underneath, blue jeans, orange sneakers and orange/black fingerless gloves.

"Well? How do I look?" Mikey asked.

"Whoa! Give me one!" Raph demanded.

Mikey ran off to look at himself in a mirror. Raph and Leo put on a belt as well, followed by Donnie as well. Leo had brown hair and blue eyes, and he was wearing a loose navy blue shirt with a black long sleeve underneath, black jeans and white sneakers.

Raph had black hair with faint red highlights, and green eyes. He was wearing a red long sleeve with front pockets, black ripped jeans, black sneakers, and red fingerless gloves.

Donnie had brown hair with a streak of purple and brown eyes. He was wearing a purple hoodie (opened) with a white short sleeve, white ripped jeans, purple sneakers and black thin framed glasses.

"We look AWESOME!" Mikey said as he ran back in.

"Donnie, you've really out did yourself this time. Great job." Leo said.

"Thanks Leo. And now we can go see the girls tonight without having to hide." Donnie said.

"Huh? Oh, right! That's tonight! I almost forgot." Leo said, face palming himself.

"We _are _going, right Leo?" Mikey asked.

"Of course. We told Chloe we would if we could and we're able to for sure now. So we're going." Leo said.

Later that night, the families and friends of the many students that are preforming in the show were walking into the brick building of the high school. The girls, who were behind stage, were peeking out into the crowd to see if they could spot the guys.

"Oh, I don't think I can do this." Grace said.

"It'll be fine, Grace. Just like you've practiced." April said.

"Oh...I don't know." Grace said.

Grace was wearing a light blue kimono, black short leggings, black flats and a light blue flower. April had a black kunoichi outfit that was like a short black kimono with black short leggings and black boots. Maeve had on a Japanese flag loose top with grey long sleeve underneath, red high shorts, black ripped leggings, and black flats. And Chloe had dressed in a cosplay costume of Ichigo from _Tokyo Mew Mew _(which I do not own either!).

"Come on, Grace. You'll do great. And the guys will be here soon, I know it." April said.

"I don't see them." Chloe said.

"They're ninja, Chloe. You're probably not going to see them." Maeve said before hitting Chloe in the back of the head.

"Good point, Maeve." Chloe agreed.

April took a look out in crowd again, to see if she could spot them, but it was no use. Then Grace poked her head out to look and saw four teenage guys in the front row.

"April, I've seen those four before. In the front row."

"Yeah? Where from? I don't recognize them." April said.

"They're from a dream I had." Then Grace got a _light bulb_. "Chloe, did you give Donnie my belt dream drawing?"

"Yeah. I wanted to see if he could really do it. Why?"

"Because I think those four in the front row are the guys."

"No way. That's so cool, because now they won't have to sneak around all the time." April said.

"_Next on stage are the Kunoichi_." Called the announcer.

"That's us. We better get going." Maeve said.

They started walking and then Grace froze at the end of the curtain.

"Grace, come on. The guys are right there. Don't worry." April whispered.

"I—I can't do it, April. I'm too scared."

"Come on, Grace. You can do it." Maeve said as she started to push her friend onto the stage.

Grace stood completely still after Maeve stopped pushing and she saw the crowd.

"Grace, snap out of it." Chloe said.

The crowd started to whisper and giggle at Grace as she continued not to move. The guys looked around and didn't understand why everyone had started this.

"This…doesn't look good." Mikey whispered.

"Come on Grace! Snap out of it!" Leo shouted all of a sudden.

"Leo, what are you doing?" Donnie asked.

"I—Uh—I don't know. It just came out."

Grace heard this blurt and recognized the voice.

"Leo? _Alright, I _can _do this. I've gotta._"


	5. Grace's Edge

Chapter Five

The four girls walked on stage to dim lights. Then the lights began to appear brighter and the girls were lined up across the stage.

"I think it'll be real fun to go." Chloe said.

"I don't know Chloe." Grace said, still a little nervous.

"Come on. You always said to take risks, Grace. Let's go!" Maeve said.

"Yeah. Let's go!" April said.

"Oh, fine." Grace sighed.

The lights dimmed for a small moment and the music came on, _Made in Japan (from Shake it up)_.

**C: **_Every avenue in Tokyo/Is saying that I'm gonna make it.  
_**M: **_It's offering the four of us a chance/And knows, oh, we're gonna take it.  
_**A: **_All they need to do is lead us to the floor/It'll detonate us.  
_**G:**_ We'll show 'em what the beat is for into the chord/Girl, they'll celebrate us!  
_**ALL: **_Made in Japan! We're made in Japan! __**(repeat)**_

**M: **_Fortune and fame, suddenly/I can be a real supernova.  
_**C: **_Shooting star - my name in neon lights/In the sky before it's over!  
_**G: **_Imagine us having fans/Think of when a-all of them are screamin'.  
_**A: **_Our fantasy is so getting out of hand/I'm loving what I'm dreamin'!  
_**ALL: **_Made in Japan! We're made in Japan! __**(repeat)**__  
_**A: **_Woke up in another world/Now we're on as sama girls  
_**G: **_Getting our kimono on/Singing karaoke songs  
_**C: **_Eating sushi, drinking tea/In the shade of maple trees  
_**M:**_ Lotus flowers everywhere/Breathing in exotic air  
_**G: **_The manga artists take a bow  
_**C: **_Animes with total wow  
_**A: **_My imagination sparks/When I'm in Yoyogi Park  
_**M: **_Could it be this distant land/Scrambled crossing upper plans?  
_**G&C: **_Loving cosplay, gotta say  
_**ALL: **_Sayonara U.S.A/Made in Japan!/Come on!/We're made in Japan!/Made in Japan!/We're made in Japan!/Go, go, go!/Made in Japan, made in Japan! __**(8x)**_

The crowd went crazy as the girls bowed and ran off the stage. The three girls hugged Grace tightly in joy.

"You did it, Grace! You danced and sang great!" April said.

"Thanks, April. Ah!" Grace screamed as someone hugged her from behind.

"Hey, girly. How's it going?" A male voice questioned as he let go.

"Yuki, you know I hate that. How'd you like it?" Grace asked.

"I think you did great." Yuki replied.

The four guys started walking back stage and then they saw someone hugging Grace. Then they walked over slowly and carefully.

"Uh…Hey, girls." Leo greeted.

"Oh…Leo, hey." Grace returned.

"Mikey, what'd you think of the song?" Chloe asked.

"You did great, Chloe."

"You all did. Awesome performance." Yuki said.

"Thanks, Mikey. Thanks, Yuki." Chloe said.

"Girls, you ready to go?" Leo asked.

"Uh...I'm going back Yuki's house tonight. I'll see you tomorrow." Grace said.

"Oh, okay...See ya later."

"Night guys. See you tomorrow at April's house, girls."

They waved goodbye as they followed the guys outside and started walking in the cold night where the snow had started to fall gently around them.

"It's a little chilly out. Are you guys gonna be alright?" April asked.

"Yeah, I put a temperature aperture into the belts." Donnie explained.

"You used my idea! I knew you could it, Donnie!" Chloe said as she gave Donnie a hug.

"Cool...So, now you guys can go upside whenever you can without having to worry."

"Not exactly, April. Unfortunately these belts will probably give out in a few minutes." Donnie explained.

"What?" Raph and Mikey questioned.

"Donnie, what if they were to stop working during the show?" Raph asked.

"They wouldn't have because I made sure of it." Then the belts started to beep rapidly. "Oh, there they go."

Then the guys turned into the turtles again.

"Let's get into the sewers, now." April suggested.

Everyone climbed down into the sewers, except for Leo. He stood there like a sad statue, not paying attention to anything or anyone. The small bit of snow that had rested on the streets had clamped cold onto Leo's feet, still he didn't pay attention.

"Uh...Leo? You coming?" April asked which was returned with no reply. "Guys, I think something's wrong with Leo. He's totally out of it."

The guys climbed back to the surface to see what was wrong with their brother and leader.

"Uh, Leo? Anybody home?" Mikey asked as he knocked on Leo's noggin a little.

"Leo, what's going on with you?" Donnie asked.

Leo still didn't answer.

"Leo, wake up!" Raph shouted in his brother's ear.

Nothing worked to wake their brother. Raph and Donnie picked Leo from his place in the snow and carried him home, setting him on the couch.

"I wonder what's wrong with him." Chloe asked.

"He did start acting weird after seeing Yuki and Grace." Maeve pointed.

"You don't think he's-" Donnie trailed off.

April walked over and kneeled next to her friend who practically buried his face into the pillow they put under his head. April felt sorry and didn't know what to do.

"Leo, you really like her…don't you?" April whispered.

Leo looked up at April, slightly, and blinked for a brief moment as a sign of yes. The next day, Raph came out of his room and walked past the couch and into the kitchen where his brothers and father were.

"He's still upset? I don't get it. What's wrong with him?" Raph asked as he put a leaf on a small plate for his pet turtle, Spike.

"He is in love with a girl, Raphael." Sensei said.

"Yeah…the one who's taken by that Yuki guy." Raph replied.

"That's what makes it worse, Raph. Oh, poor, Leo. What do we do, Sensei?" Donnie asked.

"There is no one to break Leonardo from this feeling, except Grace herself."

Later that day, the girls were having a girls' day at Chloe and Maeve's place.

'_Knock, Knock!_'

"Oh, that must be April, now." Chloe said, running over to the front door.

Chloe opened the door to find her friend and invited her inside. Getting into the living room, Grace was dancing to a gentle song.

"Wow, Grace, you're really great at ballet." April commented as she sat on a stool.

"Thank you, April. I've been dancing since I was six years old. I just wish my biological father was alright to watch me dance." Grace said as she continued to dance.

"What are you talking about, Grace?"

"Well, you said my father's down there with the guys and he didn't look the same. His burns must run deep that he doesn't want to show me."

"Burns? Oh, you thought I meant—No, Grace. Grace, your father is Sensei."

Grace slipped on the rug at this news and landed on her back.

"Grace! Are you alright?" Chloe asked as she helped her friend up.

"I'm alright. But, Sensei is my _father_? How? He's-"

"Mutated. He came to New York after losing you and his wife and got mutated by the same ooze that changed the guys."

"Oh…my. All this time—I—Oh, man, I am _so_ stupid."

"You are _not _stupid, Grace. You just…misunderstood."

"I guess I should apologize to him, huh?"

"Tomorrow. Today, it's us."

"Yeah! Who wants to play a game of truth or dare?" Maeve asked as she walked in with an empty bottle of soda.

"Sweet, I'll go first." Grace said before spinning the empty bottle.

The bottle spun and landed on April.

"Okay…So, do I ask or does she?" April asked.

"Ask me." Grace said.

"We play it backwards." Maeve pointed.

"Okay…Truth or Dare, Grace?"

"Truth."

"Okay...Do you like—I mean like-like—Leonardo?"

"Uh…April, I have a boyfriend. Why would you ask me that?"

"Just wondering. Now you have to answer."

"Oh…Fine! I-"

Then Grace's phone started ringing and she answered it with a silent sigh of relief.

"Hey, Yuki…What's up?"

Grace walked into the next room to have some privacy.

"I wonder why he's calling her. Must be important to interrupt girl's day." Chloe said as she played with the empty bottle.

The three waited in the living room of the empty house, since Chloe and Maeve's grandparents were in town. After a while, there was a loud sobbing cry from the office. The three carefully walked over to the entrance of the office and saw Grace on the window seat, crying into a throw pillow.

"Grace? Grace, what's wrong?" Chloe asked as she sat next to Grace on the window seat.

Grace looked up and wiped her tear-soaked eyes.

"It's—It's Yuki. He—Huh?"

A gentle sound filled the air around Grace's ears as she sniffed.

"Grace? Are you-"

Grace interrupted April's question as she climbed out of the window she was next to and walked into the woods.

"Grace? Grace, where ya going?" Maeve shouted.

The three jumped the window and followed their friend. After a while, April had a vibe.

"Maeve, you stay with Grace. Make sure she doesn't get hurt. Chloe, me and you are going to the city to get the guys. Something's going on here. I've got a bad feeling about this."

The girls nodded and did as told. Back at the Lair, Mikey was doing ridiculous things to try to cheer his brother up.

"Nothing's working. Even when I turn on _Space Heroes_, he doesn't pay attention or even quote the lines. He just lays there." Donnie said.

Then April and Chloe ran into the Lair, out of breathe.

"April? What's wrong? Why are you so out of breath?" Donnie asked.

"Grace…is…in trouble. Maeve's…following…her. In…woods…behind…Chloe's house."

"Man…I've never…ran that….much…before." Chloe said.

"Grace is in trouble? What's wrong exactly?" Leo, who ran over when he heard _Grace _and _trouble_ in the same sentence, said.

"That's what it takes to wake you up? Should've said that a while ago." Raph joked.

"Raph, not now. Grace is in trouble." Leo reminded.

"We can take the Shell-raiser." Donnie suggested.

"Good idea. Let's go." Leo said.

The girls followed the guys to another room and saw an armored truck.

"Sweet ride." Chloe said in awe.

The two girls climbed in and strapped into their seats before Donnie sped off toward Chloe's house. When they got there, they all climbed out of the truck and ran into the woods.

"How are we gonna find them? They could be anywhere in these woods." Raph said.

That's when Chloe noticed something on a tree.

"Hey, you guys! Over here!" Chloe called.

"What'd you find, Chloe?" Leo questioned.

"Chalk."

"Chalk? You found chalk?" Raph questioned.

"Yep. Maeve taught me this trick. You mark the trees to see which way you go, or where you've been. Like in the Hansel and Gretel story with the bread crumbs." Chloe explained.

"Looks like it's pointing in this direction." April said, pointing down the hill.

The group called and called for Grace and Maeve for about an hour and a half before there was any signs of life in the woods.

"Raph, help!" Maeve's voice called.

"Maeve? Maeve, don't worry! I'm coming!" Raph called back, running in another direction from his brothers.

"Help!" Her voice called again.

They got to a small cliff and stopped.

"Maeve? Maeve, where are you?" Chloe asked.

"Down here, Chloe!"

Chloe looked down and saw her sister sitting on the ledge below her with Grace.

"Maeve! Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, but Grace fell down here. She's hurt." Maeve replied.

"Hold on. We'll get you out." Chloe looked behind her and saw everyone else coming. "Guys, over here! They're over here!" Chloe shouted.

The others finally got there and started on getting the two girls off the ledge. Tying a rope on a tree, Leo tied the other around himself and climbed gently down the side.

"Come on, Maeve. Let's get you out of here."

"No, take Grace first. She's really hurt, Leo." Maeve said.

Leo just nodded and tied the rope around Grace so the guys could get her out first, leaving Leo with Maeve. After getting Grace to safety, Donnie threw the rope back down to the other two. Leo tied the rope around Maeve and pulled on the rope gently.

"Leo, what are you doing?"

"The rope won't hold both of us. You go first."

"Oh, alright." Maeve said as the guys started to pull her up.

Once Maeve was safe, the ledge where Leo was, was about to let go under all the weight of the three of them being on it before and now there being a shift.

"I could really use that rope, guys!" Leo called up.

"Hold on, Leo! The rope's tangled around Maeve!" Donnie called.

The ledge cracked and shifted a little as Leo tried to keep his balance. Donnie, Mikey and Raph were all trying to untangle the knot around Maeve as they continued to hear the sounds of cracking rock and stone over the cliff. Just as Raph untangled the rope, he ran over to the edge and saw that stone ledge that once was there, no longer was.

"Leo? No…" Raph said quietly.

"Uh…I could still use that rope down here!" A voice called.

Raph looked over the edge a little more and saw his older brother holding onto the side of the cliff for dear life. Raph sighed, relieved his brother was okay, and threw the rope down to him. The three pulled Leo to safety.

"Thanks…Now let's get the girls out of here." Leo suggested.

April had been watching from the sidelines while taking care of Grace. Once Chloe took over, April hugged Leo, happy he was safe.

"Grace is out cold, she fell pretty hard. But no broken bones." April reported to Donnie.

"Well, that's good. But how is that even possible?" Raph questioned.

"No kidding. From that fall, I thought for sure Grace would've had at least an arm broken." Donnie added.

"Grace has never broken a bone before. She just gets scratches and bruises. It's weird." Maeve said.

"Well, let's get her out of here." Leo said.

"_Chloe! Maeve! Are out here?_" A female voice called.

"Grandmama! They're home early." Chloe gasped.

"You guys go back home. We'll take care of Grace…?" April trailed off, seeing as her friends had ninja-ed their way out of the situation.

"Girls!"

"Over here, Pop-pop! We need some help!" Maeve called.

"Oh, my. What happened to the poor girl?" Chloe's grandmother asked.

"She fell of the edge and we got her out." Maeve said.

"I'll go call the police. Walter, help the girls make a stretcher and get poor little Gracie to the house."

"Sure thing, Nancy."

So the girls made a make-shift stretcher and carried Grace up to the house where an ambulance had arrived not too long after to take Grace to the hospital. Maeve and Chloe's grandparents drove them to the hospital to make sure their friend wasn't hurt too bad. Grace was in the emergency room and was in put in a regular room after about three hours of testing. The girls fell asleep and the grandparents didn't bother them. They let them sleep in Grace's room, while the two of them slept in the family room.


	6. Grace's Nightmare

Chapter Six

The next day, the girls left the hospital and walked to the Lair. Plopping on the couch, the girls sat back and sighed.

"Hey, how's it going, girls?" Donnie asked as he walked in with his brothers.

"Grace woke up this morning. The doctors wanted her to rest, so we came here." Chloe replied as she snuggled into her sister.

Maeve held Chloe to warm her from the seasonally cold air they just walked through.

"We'll go see her tomorrow. But I'm worried." April said as she wrapped in a warm blanket.

"Why are you worried?" Leo asked.

"Grace just wondered off at Chloe and Maeve's house. What if—I mean, she's Splinter's daughter. I don't want her to get hurt."

"She won't. We won't let her get hurt." Leo replied.

After spending the entire day with the guys, the girls left for April's and spent the night. Around seven in the morning, all three girls were awakened by a loud ring tone. After recovering, April picked up her phone, which was being called from an unknown caller.

"Hello?...Grace?...Whoa! Grace, slow down. What hap—Okay…Okay…" April started making hand gestures in attempt to tell Chloe and Maeve to start getting dressed. "Okay, just call security. We're on our way." April said before she hung up.

"What's going on?" Maeve asked pulling on her vest coat.

"Grace said something about Yuki." April replied as she started to get dressed.

After running for three blocks, the girls finally got to the hospital and got to the third floor. Coming to a desk, April was about to ask where Grace's room was, but was interrupted by a scream.

"_No! Get out! I don't ever want to see you again, Yuki!_ _Get away from me!_"

"I think we found her. Thank you." April said to the nurse who was calling security.

The girls walked into the room, almost missing a tray of food. Yuki had been trying to kiss Grace by force and Grace was trying to hit him with anything she could grab. Maeve ran over and pulled Yuki off, throwing him on the floor. As he tried to stand back up, April stood above him, in front of him.

"Don't you ever go near Grace again, Yuki." She said.

"Why shouldn't I?" Yuki asked as he pushed April back a little.

"Because…with the three of us backing her up, you won't be able too." April said before she jumped into a fighting stance.

Yuki got scared a little, trying not to show it, and left. Then Grace sobbed loudly as the girls comforted her. After a while, Maeve got Grace to watch a little TV. Then Grace sighed.

"I need to tell you girls something."

Maeve muted the TV and placed a hand on Grace's.

"What's wrong? Did that jerk, Yuki, _hurt_ you?"

"No! No…It's my foster parents. I don't know why but they're sending me back to the orphanage."

"What? But you did nothing wrong!" Maeve said.

"Yeah. Oh, you poor thing. You know what? Maeve and I can just find you another family." Chloe suggested.

"No, you two have bothered enough families." Grace replied.

"Wait. This isn't the first time you've been sent back?" April questioned.

"No…Grace gets sent back at least once or twice a year. The poor girl. They never have any reason. They just pack up her stuff and send her back." Chloe replied.

April thought for a few moments, and then popped up from her chair.

"Wait! I've got an idea! What if you were a Yoshi again?" April asked.

"You mean as his _actual _daughter again? What if he says no, April?"

"I don't think he will." April replied.

"Chloe's right. I don't think I could handle it." Grace said as she hugged her knees.

"What if I asked him for you?" April suggested.

Grace thought about it and nodded. After an hour, Grace was released from the hospital and sent home to her current foster family's home. She packed up her stuff and went to the library with April. They printed some papers out and went to the Lair to see the guys.

"Grace! Chloe, and Maeve just told us what happened. Are you going to be okay?" Leo asked as he ran over.

"Not yet. Um…Master Splinter? A-A-April…" Grace trailed off and sighed before she snatched the papers from April's hands. "I want—_need_—you to read these papers. And consider this for me."

Master Splinter took the papers from Grace. He read them closely, almost falling backward. After a moment, he walks away to his room.

"He—He…Does that mean no?" Grace questioned.

"Oh, Grace, I don't-"

April was interrupted by Master Splinter walking back out of his room and over to Grace. Handing the papers back to Grace, he walked away without a single word. Grace starred at Splinter, as he walked away, before looking at the papers in her hands. She slowly opened them, gasping at the result and falling to her knees.

"What? What's the matter, Grace? He didn't sign them?" April asked as she kneeled next to her friend.

Grace shook her head and handed the papers to April. April looked and saw the neat signature on the papers.

"Guys, it looks like you have a new housemate." April said happily.

The next day, Grace packed up her stuff from her old foster home and moved it all into an extra room at the Lair.

"Thanks for helping me move in, guys." Grace said as she carried a couple small boxes stacked on top of each other.

"No problem, Grace. You're part of our family now." Donnie replied.

Donnie and Leo were carrying a few large boxes into the room.

"Well, I think that's it. Do you need anything else, Grace?" Leo asked.

"Uh…No. No, I don't think I do right now. Thank you."

The guys left and Grace sat on her bed. Her happiness faded as she looked at her new room. Later that evening, the guys had started eating their dinner of pizza.

"Hey, anyone seen Grace?" Raph questioned.

"Not since we brought her boxes to her new room." Mikey replied.

"I'm gonna check on her." Leo said as he walked to Grace's door. Knocking on the metal door, there was no reply. "Grace? Pizza's here if you're hungry."

Still no answer. So, Leo gently opened the door, seeing Grace sitting in her beanbag chair, silently crying.

"Grace?" Leo asked as he gently touched her shoulder.

She jumped a little, looking up at him with tear soaked eyes.

"Leo! I—I didn't hear you come in." Grace replied as she tried to wipe away the stray eyes trickling down her face and fix her messy hair.

"Why are you crying? I thought you wanted to live here." Leo said as he tried to help fix her hair.

"No, I do—I—I just…" Grace trailed off, not knowing how to explain her feelings.

"Then why the tears?"

"I—I…" She sighed heavily and stood up as started to talk again. "All my life, it's been house after house, family after family. That's all it's ever been and—I can trust you to keep a secret, right?"

Leo stood up and held one of Grace's hands gently in his.

"Of course you can."

Grace sighed again.

"I'm afraid…I'm afraid that if…" A long silence was created between the two. "That if I come out with everything with Master Splinter, that he'll just send me back to the orphanage. Rejected by my own father."

"I don't believe Splinter would ever do that…especially to his own daughter."

"You just don't get it! _Look at me. I will never pass for a prefect bride, or a prefect daughter. Can it be, I'm not meant to play this part? Now I see, that if I were truly to be myself, I would break my family's heart._" Grace walks over to a mirror on the wall. "_Who is that girl staring straight back at me? Why is my reflection someone I don't know? Somehow I cannot hide who I am, though I've tried. When will my reflection show who I am inside?_" Grace turns around and is face to face with Leo. "_When will my reflection show…who I am inside?_"

Leo and Grace were going to lean in for a kiss when Grace pushed Leo back gently.

"Uh…I'm—I'm gonna go eat. All this unpacking makes you hungry." Grace said as she headed for the door.

Leo stood there, feeling disappointed with himself. Then he was pulled away from them.

"Um…Leo?"

He looked toward the door and saw Grace had started to walk back over.

"What's wrong?" Leo asked.

Grace kissed Leo on the cheek.

"Thank you."

Then she left. Leo placed his hand on his now burning cheek. Once Grace was out of sight, he stumbled back and landed on the bean bag chair. He took his hand off his face and looked at it.

"_Leo! If you don't get out here soon, I'm gonna eat the rest of your pizza!_" Mikey called after Leo hadn't come back.

Leo snapped out of his thoughts and ran towards the kitchen.

"Don't you dare, Mikey! That's mine!" Leo yelled.

Then they all ate their food happily. A month passed by, Grace completely avoiding Master Splinter's contact except in training. Grace mostly spent her time in her room doing who knows what. She only really came out for school, training, or when _Space Heroes _was on. It was finally the week of Halloween and the girls came into the Lair wearing awesome costumes. April was wearing a kunoichi uniform, Chloe was wearing an orange and black witch's costume and Maeve was dressed as a pirate.

"Halloween night out! I am so pumped!" Chloe shouted as she ran over to the couch where the guys were. Chloe was staring over Donnie's shoulder as he worked on something.

He sighed and turned around.

"Can I help you, Chloe?"

"Nope. Just watching. Where's Grace?" Chloe asked.

"As usual, in her room." Raph replied as he flipped through a magazine.

"Why is she always in her room?" April questioned.

"It's that way with every new home for Gracie. She's just nervous. I'll get her!" Chloe said before cartwheeling over the couch and doing a series of backflips to Grace's door. "Hey, Gracie! Come on! We'll be late, Gracie!"

Grace opened her door and, while looking at her tablet, walked past her friend.

"I'm not going this year, Clo. I've got too much to do."

"Where are you going?" Leo asked.

Chloe gasped.

"What?" Raph questioned.

"Grace, you didn't tell them?"

"I'm not going so I didn't think to tell them."

"Tell us what?" Mikey asked.

"We're going to a Halloween party at this great little teen hang out. I'm going as a ninja." April replied.

"I love Halloween!" Mikey shouted.

"Gracie, you gotta go! This is our tradition!"

"Chloe, I'm not going. That's that."

"Then why don't we go on patrol? I could use a backup since the guys are going." Leo suggested.

"I don't-"

"Come on…Gracie. I'll be there with you."

Grace's face flushed a bright pink as Leo said her nickname _Gracie_.

"Uh…um…A—Alright…But _no _parties, got it?" Grace said after shaking off the weird feeling.

"Promise." Leo said as held up both of his hands.

"Great. I'll go get my jacket." Grace said as she headed for her room.

After Grace disappeared into her room, Leo turned to the others.

"Chloe, you've got Grace's costume, right?"

"Of course I do. I made it myself."

"Good. Guys, bring the girls to the party. I'll meet you later." Leo ordered.

"Leo what are you up to?" Raph asked.

"Don't ask. You'll find out later. Oh! Here she comes! Go!" Leo replied as he started to push everyone out.

Everyone had disappeared before Grace came back. Grace, pulling on her black overcoat, looked around.

"Where'd everyone go?"

"They…uh…just couldn't wait to get to that party. Ready to go?"

"Okay. Let's go." Grace said as she finished buckling her combat boots.

The two left the Lair for the rooftops. But little did Grace know what Leo was planning for her.


	7. Halloween Party

Chapter Seven

As Grace and Leo stopped on a rooftop, after two hours of running, Leo had to breathe.

"You could've told me I was going too fast, Leo. I would've slowed down." Grace said as she tossed a water bottle to her friend.

"Thanks, and it's okay. I like the challenge." Leo said before he drank some of the water.

They just rested there on the rooftop for a while. After a moment, Grace started to hear loud dance music not too far away. Grace turned around, seeing bright lights and hearing blaring music from a close by building.

"The _Teen Shadows_? How did we—**You!**" Grace said as anger took over her voice.

"Grace…what's the matter? Why don't you wanna go and have some fun tonight?" Leo asked holding back the fear of Grace's voice when it was angry.

"I just—I just don't! Why is that so hard to understand?"

Grace huffed and turned around, frustrated.

"Grace…" Leo placed his hands on her shoulders. "I said you could trust me a month ago and I meant it. You can tell me anything."

Grace stood there, thinking about Leo was saying, and after a few moments she turned toward Leo and sighed heavily.

"I guess I'm just still getting used to my new life. With you…_and _everyone else, of course. And Yuki and Jason…"

"Wait a second. Who's Jason?"

"Oh, right, sorry. Jason was this guy I dated back in New Jersey before I moved here to New York and that jerk, Yuki."

"Oh…uh-huh…"

"Hey, I don't talk to him anymore. Anyways, I guess with everything that happened last month, I didn't feel like going anywhere."

"But…you came on patrol with me." Leo taunted.

"I—I couldn't resist. I mean, I felt like punching something real instead of the dummy posts back at the Lair. Wow, I sound like Maeve." Grace laughed.

Leo chuckled a little and then he thought how wonderful Grace looked in that dim New York rooftop lighting. She finally looked happy in after a few months.

"Yo, Leo! You coming?" Grace asked as she was already heading down the fire escape.

"W-W-Where are we going?" Leo questioned as he snapped out of his thoughts.

"You were right. I should have a little fun tonight. Wanna go to the party?"

"Um…Sure…" Leo replied as he followed Grace down the fire escape.

The two stood across the street from the club, in a dark alleyway, looking at the long line that wrapped around the building.

"_Great_, now how are we gonna get in?" Leo asked.

"We could just walk right in. I have an express card to just walk in with."

"That's not what I meant. I meant, how are we gonna get inside without being spotted?"

"Leo…it's a costume party. You won't have to worry about your looks, because you look as if you're in costume. _Duh!_" Grace replied.

"Oh, right. I…uh…forgot about that."

"Come on, Leo." Grace said as she started to walk across the street.

Leo followed Grace to the front door where a rather tall man put his arm out, blocking the two's way to enter.

"End of the line." He said in a rather intimating voice.

"Hey, Cedar. I've got my pass with me." Grace greeted.

"Oh, Gracie, my girl! How you doing tonight?"

"I'm good. Any trouble makers?"

"Just Maeve…as usual."

"Of course. Anyways, I think I left my pass at home, Cedar."

"Oh, Gracie, you don't gotta show me _your _pass. But your friend does."

"Oh, him?" Grace questioned as she hooked one of her arms onto Leo's. "He's with me tonight, Cedar."

"Really? What happened to Yuki?"

"Long gone for all I know."

"Another jerk, huh?"

"Yeah. But that's okay."

"Well, it's good to see you have a good guy on your arm tonight but if he gives you _any _trouble…"

"Don't Cedar. He won't…Leo's…not like that at all." Grace said dreamily before shaking her head. "Uh…We'll just go right in then, Cedar."

"Go right in, Miss. Gracie."

Grace and Leo walked inside the loud building.

"That…was a close one." Leo said.

"Yeah, I know. Sorry about him. Cedar's like a big brother to me and the girls. Has been ever since I moved here and Chloe introduced us."

Grace and Leo looked down at their still hooked arms and pulled away quickly, blushing and turned away from each other.

"Right…so…let's find the others. I'm sure they've got to be worried." Grace said as she started to walk toward the crowd of Halloween dressed teens.

Leo ran to catch up and almost lost Grace in the thick crowd.

"Do you see them?" Grace shouted over the loud music and talking.

Leo looked around and finally saw his three brothers laughing by a counter.

"I see them over by the counter!" Leo shouted back.

The two had to push and shove their way through the thick crowd. As they had gotten to the counter, Grace fell on the ground and Leo tripped, falling on top of her.

"Ow!" Grace shouted.

"Sorry…I tripped." Leo explained as he got up. Afterward, helping Grace up. "Are you alright?"

"I think so. Thanks." Grace replied as she brushed off her jacket.

"There you two are. We starting to wonder if we should've put a APB for you two." Donnie joked.

"APB?" Mikey questioned.

"All Points Bulletin?" Mikey was still confused. "It means to be on the lookout for certain people or things." Grace explained.

"Oh…I got'cha." Mikey lied.

"Putting out a search party, basically." Grace continued.

"Oh, see? Why can't I understand anything when Donnie explains it?"

"Because he complicates things. And you two think differently."

"Then explain this whole _DNA _thing?"

"Maybe later, Mikey." Leo said.

"Hey, where's the girls?" Grace asked.

"They went to the bathroom to help clean Maeve up. She got some punch." Mikey chuckled.

"Punch? I hope you mean the drink." Grace replied.

"Nope. Yuki came in and she confronted him. He punched her and the she punched him right in the nose." Donnie explained.

"Oh, great. Where is Yuki?"

"He left a few minutes ago." Raph said.

"Oh, good. I do not want this night to be ruined by one of my _ex_-boyfriends showing up, especially that stupid Yuki. Well, I better go help them. I'll be right back." Grace said before kissing Leo on the cheek and heading for the bathroom.

"Wow…When were you gonna tell us, bro?" Mikey questioned.

"What are you talking about, Mikey?" Leo questioned back.

"You and Grace, duh! You two are totally dating!"

"What? No—No…We're not. Look, Grace and I are just friends. That's all."

"Like you and Karai were?" Raph teased.

"Don't even say her name right now. I've learned my lesson." Leo said as he face-palmed himself.

"_Who's Karai_?"

Leo turned around and saw the girls. Maeve with her slightly blackened eye and Grace was wearing a yellow _Space Heroes _uniform (short skirt) with black leggings, black heeled boots, and black fingerless gloves. Her black hair was pulled back into a high bun with a yellow flower in it.

"Wow…Grace, you look-"

"Who is Karai?" Grace asked again.

"Karai? Karai is just a girl who works for the Foot."

"What? You've been dating the enemy? Haven't you learned anything from season two episode ten? When Captain Ryan was betrayed by Celestial, the _enemy_?"

"Yeah, but-"

"But nothing Leonardo! You do not _date _the enemy!"

"Grace, I know! I've learned my lesson. Karai's in the past, now."

"Good. She better be. I do not need another Captain Ryan go on."

"Another one?" April questioned.

"_Ex_-boyfriends." The other three girls replied.

"Oh, right. I almost forgot about that." April remembered.

"Not us." Donnie said.

"Girl brains comprehend these situations differently." April explained.

"Oh, Mikey, follow me. I gotta show you something." Chloe said as she pulled her friend away.

"I wonder what she's up to." Maeve thought aloud.

"Hey, Maeve, how about another arm wrestle?" Raph, bored, asked.

"Uh…Sure. Why not? You are so going down, Red!"

"Whatever you say, Brownie."

Maeve and Raph were about to hook hands when she started to walk away.

"Hey, where you going?"

"I'm getting something to drink! You gotta problem?" Maeve replied as she walked away.

"She could've just said so. Geez."

"Anyways, Grace what are you supposed to be? A _Space Heroes_ cadet?"

"No…I'm Captain Ryan."

"But Captain Ryan's a guy." Leo replied.

"Uh…I know that, duh! I'm Captain Ryan's doppelganger, female version."

"_And next to sing tonight is, the one and only, Chloe and, her friend, Michelangelo!_"

"Mikey?" The three guys questioned.

"That's what she's doing?" Grace questioned.

Grace and April looked at each other.

"Oh, no…" The two said.

"What?" Raph questioned.

"Just watch." April replied.

On the small stage, Mikey was a little nervous. He never thought of doing something like this before.

"Come on, Mikey. This'll be fun."

"All of these people, they're all watching me."

"Don't look at them, Mikey. Look at me, look at my eyes and nowhere else."

Mikey gulped before looking at Chloe's eyes. As he did, Mikey couldn't stop looking at the orange eyes that Chloe possessed. After a moment, music started up, _You're My Only Shawty_ by _Ariana Grande_.

C: _Last was crazy/And today it's setting in/Did you really mean it and could you say it again?/Even if you just say it over the phone (_M:_ Come on and make it real)/Love makes me crazy, restless, dumb and paranoid/But I'll take a chance on us and hope you don't destroy my heart/Just give me one guarantee/I'm the only girl you/What'cha say, boy?_

M: _You're my only shawty/You're only shawty, yee-yee-yee/I'm telling you the truth/Girl, it's only you/You're my only, you're my only/You're my only one and only/You're my only shawty (_C: _Am I your only shawty)/You're my only shawty, yee-yee-yee (_C:_ Am I your only shawty)/I'm telling you the truth (Oh-Oh)/Girl, it's only you (Oh-Oh)/You're my only, you're my only (Am I your only shawty)/You're my only/You're my only shawty_

Back with the others, they were amazed to see these two together on stage. Maeve had returned, earlier, with some water.

"Hey, Maeve? Why don't you ask Raphael to dance?" April whispered to her friend.

"Why would I do that?"

"You like him. You can't hide it, Maeve."

Maeve pulled her friends aside, away from the guys.

"What are you talking about, April? I do not _like _Raphael."

"Don't listen to her, April. Maeve's just too full of herself to do or feel anything for anyone at all." Grace teased.

"Not true!"

"Really? Then I dare you to ask Raphael to dance to…Oh! _Mr. Saxobeat_."

"What? Uh-uh…No way, no how am I asking-"

"No way, no how what?"

Maeve turned around and was face to face with Raph. She took a step back as he face started to turn a pinkish color, but nobody really noticed. Maeve looked back and forth a few times from Raph to Grace before stopping at Grace.

"Well? Go on, ask him Maeve. Or you could just tell him you-" Grace taunted.

"Want to dance to _Mr. Saxobeat_…with…you, Raph." Maeve said.

"Really? I—Uh—I don't know, Maeve."

"Oh, it's okay. I was a little-"

"Oh, come on, Raph. You don't want a girl to have her Halloween night go to waste because a great guy, such as yourself, won't dance with her, do ya?" Grace asked as she interrupted Maeve.

"Raph? A _great guy_? Are you sure we're talking about the same Raph?" Leo asked.

"Just to shut Leo up, I will dance with Maeve."

"Really?" Maeve questioned in surprise and disappointment.

"Yeah, come on." Raph replied as he started to pull Maeve away.

As the song, _Mr. Saxobeat_, started up, the two started to slow dance.

"This is so stupid." The two said quietly before looking at the other. "What'd you say?"

"I said this was stupid! April and Grace dared me to ask you to dance! I don't even…" Maeve trailed off.

"Even what?" Raph questioned.

Maeve pushed away and then pouted.

"I don't want to talk about it."

"We fight all the time. What are they trying to prove? I'm only doing this because my brothers dared me to dance with you."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah. Why'd you go with through with this anyways? I didn't think girls like challenges."

"I resist a challenge."

"Really? Cause, neither can I."

"Man, we are so _stupid_. Hey, let's not lose our bets, huh?"

"How? The song's already half way over."

"Wait here."

Maeve ran over to the DJ for a quick moment and the song started over. Maeve ran back to Raph.

"Just follow my lead." Maeve said.

_Watch __**Just Dance 4: Mr. Saxobeat **__on YouTube to know how they danced. _As the song was ending, Maeve and Raph had gotten pretty close. A feeling coming over them as they looked into each other's eyes, as they started to lean in for a kiss. After a moment, Maeve pushed away, realizing what was going on.

"Um…That was…That was fun. You're a pretty good dancer."

"Uh…Yeah…Thanks. You're not half bad yourself." Raph replied after coming out of the shock of realization.

The two shook hands and walked back over to their amazed friends.

"That…was…**amazing**, Maeve! You two were in perfect sync!" Chloe said as she hugged her sister from behind.

"Thanks, Clo." Then Maeve was released from Chloe and turned to Raph. "Thanks…for the dance."

"No problem."

"Hey, where'd Grace go?" Maeve asked.

"Grace? She's-" April turned to see Grace had disappeared. "Oh, she was here a minute ago. I guess she walked away without us noticing."

"_Ah!_" A girl screamed from the second floor.

After a moment, two girls toppled over some tables and chairs, and over the railing, right down onto the counter. It was Grace and…**Karai**.

"_Karai_?" Leo snapped.

"Hello, Leo. How are you?"

"This is Karai?" Grace asked before grabbing Karai's ankles and pulled, slamming her on the counter. "Wow. Not much to her."

Karai turned over and kicked Grace away, all the six feet of the counter, to land on the floor.

"Grace!" Leo shouted before running over.

Just before he got there, Karai jumped in front of him.

"What do you want, Karai?"

"You actually. I thought you were more _interesting_. We could make a great team together." Karai replied as she caressed Leo's face.

"Um…Excuse me? You released a giant, mutated…thing on me and my brothers! You're the daughter of the _Shredder_, and I've finally seen how stupid I am to have hung out with you! I could _**never**_ side with you."

"I realize what I've done and…I've put it in the past. After consideration, I thought you were actually…kind of…cute."

"Hey, Karai…" She turned around and Grace, lip bleeding and dislocated arm, threw some pepper in Karai's eyes. "Stay away from Leo."

Karai tried, in a failing manner, to wipe the pepper from her eyes. After a moment, she decided to go with her other senses and started to attack Grace, who blocked continuously.

"Is that all you got, Karai?"

"Unfortunately for you…No."

Then Karai pulled out a cloth pouch and threw it at Grace, which exploded in her face.

"No…" Leo whispered before running over. "Grace? Grace…are you okay?"

"I—I…I feel dizzy, Leo." Grace groaned before fainting in Leo's arms.

"_What _did you to with her?"

"Oh, nothing. It's just…that pouch? It was full of poison. I have the antidote, and I'll give it to you…only if you come with me."

Leo looked at Karai for a moment before looking down at Grace. He gently set her on the ground and walked over to Karai.

"Well?" Karai questioned.

Leo grabbed Karai's wrist that was holding the liquid and kicked Karai into some tables. Holding the antidote, Leo walked over to Grace again.

"She'll be okay, Leo." Donnie said before pouring the antidote down Grace's throat. "Let's get out of here before the Foot, or the police, show up."

Grabbing Grace, the seven disappeared from the club.


	8. Winter Nightmare

Chapter Eight

Back at the Lair, Grace was sleeping on the couch. Leo sat on the floor next to her, watching and hoping she would wake up soon enough.

"You think she'll be okay?" Chloe asked.

"She better be. _Oh_! Who did that Karai think she was anyhow?" Maeve questioned as anger boiled inside her.

"Karai is the daughter of the Shredder." Donnie replied.

"A shredder? Like the kitchen thingy?" Maeve questioned.

"No! _The _**Shredder**, doofus!" Raph replied as he slapped the back of Maeve's head.

"Watch it, you! I could kick your shell right now!"

Raph and Maeve started arguing loudly.

"_Enough!_"

Everyone turned and saw Master Splinter standing there in disarray.

"Sorry, Sensei." The two apologized.

Splinter was about to lecture them when a small groan emerged from across the room. Chloe and Maeve rushed over to Grace and Leo.

"Is she waking up?" Chloe asked.

"I…don't know." Leo replied.

"_M—M—Mommy_…._Mommy!_" Grace screamed.

After a moment, Grace sat up screaming loudly. She looked around and when her eyes laid on Leo's, Grace looked like a terrified little girl. He hugged her and she cried hard. Master Splinter walked over and sat down next to Grace, setting a hand on her shoulder. She turned to him slightly and then dove her face into his robe. Splinter hugged his daughter closely and started to sing gently in Japanese. Grace's crying turned into sniffling as she sat there for a moment and listened to her father sing.

"I know that song. I love it." Grace said.

"Your mother used to sing it all the time. She especially sang it _after _you were born."

After a moment, Grace looked at the door that existed the Lair, seeing something unusual. Grace stood up before a ghostly white figure appeared around the corner.

"_Mother…?_" Grace thought.

Standing there, Grace rubbed her eyes.

"Grace? What is the matter?" Splinter asked.

"Father…I see—I think I see—Mother."

"_Grace…Gracie…come with me, Sweetheart…" _The ghost called.

"Mommy!" Grace called back before running after the ghost.

"Grace!...Miwa!" Splinter called.

"We'll get her, Sensei." Leo assured.

The four guys started running out when the girls blocked their way, wearing black, short kimonos and face masks (like Karai's but cloth).

"_We'll _get her, Leo. You four have been through enough tonight, Stay here and rest." April ordered before they disappeared from the Lair.

"Did we just get shown by three kunoichi?" Raph questioned.

Back with the girls, they were catching up with Grace. After a while, Grace climbed to the surface, still following her ghostly friend downtown. Finally, Grace stopped at a rather strange store. The lettering was old and faded, hard to read, but the girls quietly followed their friend inside.

"Hello? Is anyone here?" Grace called.

There was no response.

Grace continued around the store. It looked as if no one had been there for years. Looking around, the black haired girl rounded a corner and accidently knocked some books over.

"Oops…hmm…These look like ethnicity books and scrolls. Hmm…I wonder…" Grace said as she started to skim the spines of the books. "…_Yoshi…Yoshi…_Oh, here was go. Wow!"

Grace had found two whole shelves with her father's last name on every one of the books.

"Grace? What are you doing?"

Grace turned around and saw her friends in uniforms.

"Chloe? Girls! Cool uniforms."

"Chloe made them. Anyways, what's going on?" Maeve asked.

"I found Mother here. She said she had something to show me. All these books, they're all about the Yoshi lifeline."

"All of them? Wow, your family goes back a long time." Chloe said.

"I know, right? This is so cool! My family heritage are all in these books right up until…my father. Hmm…" Grace said before sitting on a dusty stool.

"What's the matter, Grace? Aren't you happy knowing all this history, all of your past life here, all of it on these shelves?"

"Of course I am April. But…I don't think my father likes me very much."

"Of course he does, Grace."

"Then why would he leave me there? Why didn't he look for me? I spent my whole life wondering where this amazing man was and when he would find me! But every day, I found out…he was never going to show." Grace shouted.

"Grace, he thought you were dead! He didn't look for you because Splinter was mourning you and your mother." April said.

"R—Really? He—He thought I was dead?"

"I put a flower on your grave when I buried it. I cried for days."

"D—Daddy?" Grace questioned as she turned around.

"Mi—Grace…I missed you so very much. I was so sad that I didn't think to look _through_ the ashes and see that you were alive." Splinter explained.

"You see?" April questioned.

"Da—Daddy?" Grace questioned again.

"What is it, my daughter?"

Grace stood there for a minute before running and hugging Splinter.

"I'm sorry. I should've known that…that you would never leave me behind on purpose."

Splinter kneeled to eye level with Grace and hugged her close.

"I am so sorry, Miwa."

"Mi—Miwa? That's my real name, isn't it?"

"Yes, your mother thought of the beauty you are and I agreed that a beautiful daughter should have a beautiful name."

Grace started to silently cry. After a little while, Splinter and Grace headed home, and the other girls headed to their homes. The winter season rolled around and the Lair seemed to lose its warmth. Grace walked out of her room wearing a scarf and snow boots.

"Why is it so cold?"

"I—I—I d—don't know." Donnie replied as he was trying to fix the heater.

"Why do you have a rusty, broken heater? Wait…Never mind."

"A—Are you g—going to be o—okay, G—Grace?"

"Oh, Mikey. I'll be fine. I'm not the cold blooded turtle of the…uh…Lair. You know what? Donnie, throw that stupid junk out. I've got some money saved up and I can buy a better heater."

"Y—You…"

"Oh, y—y—yes I do." Grace said as mocked how her friends were talking. "You guys are either gonna get a serious cold or worse and that's not gonna happen on my watch. I'm calling April and we'll get a heater before training." Grace said as she grabbed her jacket and headed out.

Downtown, soft snow was falling over the city. The girls were walking around to find a heater.

"Oh, there's _Gego's_ store. I bet he has a heater!" Chloe said.

"The four girls ran over to the store and walked into the warmth of the several running heaters.

"Sweet Big Apple! That's good heat!" Maeve said.

"No kidding. Now to find a proper heater." Grace said as she started walking around.

After a moment, a man popped up from behind a pile of boxed heaters. Scarring Grace a little, she jumped back in a fighting stance.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. May I help you find a heater today?"

"Hey, Unc. What's the best deal?" Maeve asked.

"Uncle?" Grace and April questioned.

"Ah…My sweet nieces. How are you today?"

"Hi Uncle! We're cold but other than that, we're good." Chloe replied.

"Good. I think I might just have the thing for you girls." He pulled out a heater blanket in a box. "Best on the market. And for my favorite nieces, I'll give it to you."

"Thanks, Unc. By the way, we're your _only _nieces." Maeve said.

"You're still my favorites. Here you go. And a room heater in addition." The man said as he put a heater in Maeve and Chloe's hands.

"Thanks, Uncle. We'll see you at the next family reunion." Chloe said as the girls walked out with the blanket and the room heater. "Uncle only comes to town for the family reunion in the winter."

Back at the Lair, Splinter was trying to keep the boys warm, but nothing was working much. Then the girls came back into the cold, shivering and covered in snow.

"Ah! I hate winter!" Chloe shouted.

"H—H—How do y—you t—t—think we f—f—feel?" Mikey questioned.

"Oh, you poor things. No wonder Grace said we needed to get a heater." Chloe said.

"Chloe, help me with the blanket while Grace and Maeve set up the heater." April said as she started to unbox the thick blanket.

The guys sat in a close circle and sat under the blanket, suddenly feeling warm.

"Wow…It really does work. Okay, then…Grace? How's that room heater coming?" April called.

"All set! Maeve and I hooked it to the venting system in the Lair!" Grace called from above.

"Thanks, girls. This is defiantly better." Leo said.

"No problem. Hey tomorrow's supposed to be a little warmer. Maybe we could go do something." Chloe suggested.

"I don't know. I've got homework to do and Donnie offered to help me." April replied.

"I've got judo practice." Maeve added.

"I just wanna stay home." Raph said before he saw Spike walk over. "Hey Spike. You must be freezing, too." Raph pulled some blankets up to make a small cave-like place for Spike to walk into.

"Aw…he's so cute!" Chloe said.

"Spike is not _cute_. He's…"

"Cute. C-U-T-E. Oh, speaking of cute, where's Vickie, Clo?" Maeve asked.

"Oh, she's in my bag. I almost forgot to feed the girl." Chloe replied as she opened her messenger bag and pulled out a small plastic box with a turtle inside. "There she is."

Vickie had an orange bow her neck.

"Aw…She's pretty."

"Thanks, Mikey." Chloe said as she opened a small door on the top and put some leaves inside. "There you go, girl."

"Oh…so this is Vickie, huh?" April questioned.

"Yep. She's been in our family for…almost one and half years now. And I guess it'll be just me and Mikey tomorrow."

"What? Nah, Chloe. I'll go with you."

"Really, Grace? Oh, I'm so glad you and Leo could come with us."

"Wait, what?" Leo questioned.

"I thought you were dating Gracie." Chloe replied.

"What? Leo! You've been holding out, bro!" Raph said.

"W—What? No! Grace and I are _not _dating. A—Are we?"

"Uh…I…Uh….don't…think so."

"It's either yes or no, Grace." Maeve smirked.

Grace rolled her eyes before thinking about it.

"Um…You—Uh—You know what?" Grace fake yawned. "I'm kind of tired, so I'm gonna—"

"Oh, no you don't." Maeve said before tackling Grace. "Answer the question!"

"No!"

"Is that _no_, that you and Leo are not dating?"

"No!"

"So, you are!"

"No!"

"Which is it?"

"NO!"

"Girls!" Master Splinter shouted, causing the two girls to stop and stand up. "What is this all about?"

"Grace and Leo are dating!" Chloe shouted.

"Are not!" Grace snapped.

"Leonardo, Grace! Come with me…" Splinter ordered.

The two looked at each other before following Splinter into another room. It became long hours as the two met with Splinter in private. Every now and again, there would be some distant, faint, yelling and shouting from the next room. Then Leo and Grace finally stepped out of the room, quietly. The two shook hands and went in different directions in the Lair. Leo sat in the kitchen, holding his head, as Grace went to her room silently, shutting the door with a loud click for the door to lock.

"Wonder what happened." Donnie thought aloud.

Raph, looking up from his magazine, stood up and walked into the kitchen. Out of audio range, the others were wondering what was going on to make Leo and Grace so upset right now.

"I think we should go. I'll be by tomorrow with Chloe."

"It's okay, April. I think I'm just gonna stay home tomorrow. Rain check, Mikey?"

"Sure, Clo."

"What about you, Maeve?" Donnie questioned.

"I've…gotta work, but I'll come by after and check up on Grace." Maeve replied.

Then the girls left for the night, after knocking slightly on Grace's door and saying goodbye to their dear friend.


	9. Leonardo's Lost Love

Chapter Nine

The week had passed, and Grace and Leo had not talked to each other. Everyone was upset and somewhat confused on why this was happening, everyone except Raph. April, being the only one to come visit, was sitting on the couch, surfing the web. Grace was lying next to her, flipping through channels, even skipping _Space Heroes_. Leo started to walk in the living room area, but landing his eyes on Grace; he turned around and walked away. April, noticing, stood up and walked over to Raph, who was playing a video game.

"Hey…" April greeted as anger laced her voice.

Raph paused his game and leaned against the game.

"What's up?"

"That's my question. As in, what's up with Leo and Grace?"

Raph became nervous, not wanting to talk.

"I—Uh—I don't know."

"Raph, you talked to Leo. I know you know what's going on."

"Look, I made a promise."

"To Leo? Okay…I'll just guess till I get it, then."

"Fine. But I'm not telling you nothing." Raph winked.

"Are they dating?"

"I'm not telling you, April."

"Are they—Splinter isn't separating them…is he?"

"Whatever you say, Ape."

April grabbed Raph's arm and met in the kitchen with a spying Donnie and Mikey.

"What is going on? Grace just skipped over _Space Heroes _like five times." Mikey said.

"Yeah and Leo just walked away to the dojo." Donnie added.

"I think…Splinter told them not to date. But I'm not positive because Raph is being nice and keeping a promise." April explained.

"Raph…being nice…to _Leo_? I think he's taken too many shots to the head." Donnie joked.

"Shut it, Donnie!"

"Raph, stop it!" April ordered as she pulled Raph away from Donnie. "Look! We have to do something about this."

"What are we supposed to do? Help them go on secret dates and make up excuses for them so Splinter doesn't know what's going on?" Mikey questioned.

Everyone blinked toward Mikey, Raph and Donnie thinking the same thing, but April was thinking of something different.

"That is…"

"Brilliant, Mikey!" April interrupted Donnie.

"It is?" The guys questioned.

"Of course! Okay, here's the plan…" April said as the other three huddled around to listen.

The next night, the girls were at April's. Grace laid across a bean bag chair April had gotten a month ago.

"Hey, you wanna…do something?" Maeve asked in genuine voice.

"No…I just want to lie here and die." Grace groaned.

The girls were upset that Grace was so depressed. Then Chloe popped from the bed, snapping her fingers as she got an idea.

"Hey, Gracie, you know what we haven't done in a while? We can have a G.N.O! Girl's night out!" Chloe suggested.

"Oh, yeah! You love those, Grace."

"What do we do on a girl's night out?" April asked.

"We can go shopping, go out to dinner, and it's just us girls." Chloe explained.

"Sweet! I'm in! What about you, Grace?" April said.

Grace looked up slightly, and then drooped her head again.

"No, thanks. You girls go ahead."

"That wasn't a suggestion for you, Grace." Maeve said as she pulled Grace to her feet.

Back at the Lair, the guys were huddled together in the dojo, planning on how to strike Splinter.

"First, Raph will attack—No, wait—Don—No…" Leo struggled to think straight as his thoughts were wrapped around Grace.

"Leo, you gotta concentrate. We're taking on Splinter…again." Raph said.

"I—I just can't, Raph. All I can think about is…" Leo looked at Donnie and Mikey. "Never mind."

"Leo, they know." Raph said.

"What? You told them?"

"Actually, April guessed and _she _told us." Donnie corrected.

"Boys, what is taking so long?" Splinter questioned.

"Leo can't concentrate, Sensei. Maybe we should try another time." Donnie replied.

"Hmm…and what is it that is keeping you from focusing on the task at hand, Leonardo?"

"N—Nothing, Sensei."

"Obviously there is something, because your brothers believe there is."

"There's nothing wrong with me!" Leo shouted before running out of the Lair.

Not too soon after, the others followed. Back with the girls, they had just finished buying new outfits, but Grace was still feeling low. As they had returned to April's room, the four girls had plopped the bags, and themselves, around.

"That was fun! Now…let's play…Truth Be Told."

"How do you play that?" April asked.

"We take this game spinner Grace made and whatever subject the arrow lands on, you have to ask someone a question." Chloe explained.

"There are four subjects: Love, School, Random, and Mystery." Grace added half-heartedly.

"Mystery?"

"Yeah, you have to pick a card with a question mark and give it to one of us to ask you." Maeve explained as she pointed to the stack of index-looking cards.

Right before the game was about to start, there was a tapping on the window.

"Huh? Oh, not now." April mumbled before going to the window.

As April was opening the window, she was kicked across the room and into the post of her bed.

"April!" The girls shouted before running over to try and help.

After a moment, someone walked in and laughed evilly. A while later, the guys were trying to catch up with Leo on the rooftops.

"Leo, will you slow down! Will you wait up?" Raph called.

Leo had finally slowed to stop, followed by his brothers.

"What? You going to tell me that dating Grace is bad idea, too? Well, too late! I'm going to tell her how—"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa…Slow down there, Leo. We weren't going to tell you any of that." Raph said.

"Why are you being so nice to me lately?" Leo questioned.

"Look…I've seen how you look at Grace, how you don't _stop _looking at her when she walks in the room. You seem to really like her, bro. Plus, you can't concentrate when you're without her, so…"

"Yeah, you're worse than Donnie with April." Mikey joked.

"April is not my girlfriend, Mikey."

"Even though you wish she was."

"Thanks, Raph. Thanks, guys."

"Uh…I got a text from April, guys. Karai's attacking at her apartment." Donnie said before the four started running like crazy to April's place.

As the four had gotten to April's apartment, the front door was swinging open. The guys carefully walked in, not seeing April's Aunt anywhere, perhaps she was out, and worked their ways up the stairs. Once they got to April's room, that's where the mess was, where it had been. The girls were spread across the wrecked room.

"April!" Donnie ran over to her limp body.

"Oh…"

"Chloe?" Mikey questioned as he walked over.

"M—Mikey? Oh, is she gone?"

"Karai isn't here, Chloe." Leo replied.

"G—Gracie. I think—I think she got hit badly."

Leo looked to Grace's unmoving body that was hanging off the bed half way. He walked around the bed and held Grace in his arms after sitting on the bed.

"Leo…is she…?" April, sitting against Donnie, asked.

Leo just hung his head and silent streams of tears fell from Leo's green cheeks and dripped to Grace's cold face. After a moment, there was a clanking sound from the window. The other three guys got ready to strike.

"April, I couldn't catch her. That witch. I'll—Ah!" Maeve said before Raph slammed her against the wall. "Who do you think you are, just—Oh, it's Raph. That figures."

"Maeve…"

"Chloe…Oh, are you okay?" Maeve asked as she kneeled next to her sister.

"I think so…I'm just in a lot of pain."

"Hey, Maeve…" April said before motioning toward Leo.

"No…No…No!...No! No! No!" Maeve turned around and punched a hole in the wall.

After pulling her hand out, it was covered in streams on blood.

"Is—Is Gracie…" Chloe trailed off, rethinking the answers in her head.

Maeve kneeled next to her sister again.

"I—I think so, Chloe."

Chloe dug her face into Maeve's shirt as she cried hard. Leo held Grace tightly, but gently, and cried hard. After a while, there was a slight glow from Grace's necklace. Leo noticed and just starred as Grace's wound disappeared and her cold skin started to warm. Then Grace gasped for air. After a moment of realization, Grace looked up, seeing Leo's blue eyes.

"L—Leo? Is—Is it you?" Grace asked as she touched his face gently.

"Yeah…it—it's me, Grace."

"Oh…Karai, she—"

"She's gone and everyone's okay. I'm just glad you are." Leo said before kissing Grace.

Maeve pumped her fist and cheered quietly before limping over and helping April to her feet.

"Maeve, are you okay? You're limping." Grace said after being released from Leo.

"I'll be okay. It's just my knee again."

"Again?" Leo questioned.

Grace stood up and walked over to Maeve, kneeling in front of her.

"This might hurt."

"Doesn't it always?" Maeve joked.

"What's wrong with her knee?" Raph questioned.

"Maeve's got a metal knee from when she shattered it when we were kids. She climbed a tree and fell down." Chloe explained as she struggled to sit up.

"Are you gonna be okay, Clo?" Mikey asked as he tried to help her.

"Yeah, I think so. Karai just…ah!"

"What is it, Clo?"

"She jabbed my pressure points pretty hard. It's hard for me to move."

"Pressure points?" Mikey questioned.

"Nerve endings, Mikey." Donnie explained.

"Oh, got'cha." Mikey replied without really understanding what his brother just told him.

"Anyways…sometimes, Maeve…" Grace twisted Maeve's knee before her friend screamed. "I think you actually like the pain. There you go."

"It's…ugh…better than limping all over the place. Thanks Grace."

"Hey! Is it me, or is Grace being alive right now a little weird?" Raph questioned.

Leo walked over to Grace, holding her hands, and sighed.

"I hate to say it—I mean, _really _hate to—but why, _how _are you alive right now? Karai…she…killed you."

Grace slipped her hands from Leo's and pulled out an emerald jade pearl on a silver chain and around her neck.

"This necklace, my mother gave me when I was only a baby. She put a mystic spell on it in case I was ever to fall into danger. Father told me when I moved in. And you broke the spell, Leo. Only someone who truly loves me would be able to break the spell and keep me alive." Grace explained.

"So, Leo…broke your spell?" Mikey questioned.

"Yep. He truly loves me…don't you?" Grace questioned with hope filling the very sentence that escaped her lips.

Leo sighed heavily, turned to his brothers and then looked back to Grace.

"Yes…I do love you."

"I knew it!" Mikey shouted.

"But…we can't be together. Sensei won't allow it."

'Then we do what we're trained to do." Maeve said.

"Ninja date time!" Chloe shouted as she jumped up.

"Well, your nerves are better." Donnie mumbled under his breathe.

"You mean…date in secret? Behind daddy's back? I—I can't—I shouldn't—I—I…"

"Grace!" April shouted as she got Grace's attention. "You should and you can…and you will."

"I…I don't think Splinter will like this."

"Leo, that's the best part. Splinter will never know because it's a _secret _date." Donnie replied.

"In fact…follow us." Chloe said as she headed out the window.

Going up to the roof, there was a table with two chairs and a beautiful dinner set up with two candles lit.

"Oh…wow…this is amazing." Grace said before looking down at her torn, dirty clothes. "Oh no. I—I'm not dressed for a date."

"Good thing we went shopping!" Chloe said.

The girls huddled around Grace, while the guys looked away, and after a minute the girls were finished.

"You can look now." Maeve said.

The guys turned around and saw how they transformed Grace. She was wearing a black sequenced spaghetti-strapped dress that stopped at her knees, a light blue sash, black flats with light blue flowers, and a light blue flower in her messy bun. Grace was also wearing a light blue mini jean jacket.

"Wow…" Leo said quietly enough for Grace to hear.

"Too much?" Grace questioned.

"Not at all. You are…perfect. I just wish I was dressed up."

"I think you're just perfect the way you are."

"Have fun, you kids." Raph said before everyone else disappeared, leaving Leo and Grace to their date.

A week had passed and the girls were back in school.

"I wonder where Gracie is. She's usually here by now." Chloe said.

"_April!_"

"Found her." Maeve joked.

Grace came screeching to a halt around the corner, almost crashing into Chloe.

"Gracie, what's wrong?" Chloe questioned after catching her friend.

"I need another date with—"

"…Grace."

Back in the sewers, Leo was having the same problem Grace was at school.

"Leo…do you know how hard that is? We're gonna need time and a place to set up." Donnie replied.

"Not to mention the excuse for Splinter." Raph added.

"I can't believe how much you like her." Mikey said.

"I—I can't help it. Donnie, I take back every one of my jokes about you liking April."

"Thanks, Leo."

"Yeah, I totally understand it now." Leo added.

"Really? What's it like to be a geek?" Mikey joked.

"that's not what I meant, Mikey. I meant…Grace. She's so nice and understands me. I mean, I can't believe how much I have in common with Splinter's daughter."

"And he listens to me. He likes the same music, movies, and he even told me I was beautiful." Grace explained on the way to class.

"Wow…Leo sounds like your prefect match, Grace." April said.

"Totally, right? Hey…speaking of matches. April…have you noticed anything with Donnie?"

"What? No way. Donnie's too smart for—Oh…hmm…"

"What? What is it?" Chloe questioned.

"Well, Donnie has wanted to hang out a lot and this one time called me _his _April. Oh, and this other time, when he built a robot, he said he was joking by saying _Look at her. She's beautiful_."

"Oh my…gosh! Donnie has a crush on you, April O'Neil!" Maeve shouted.

"What? No way! He would—You really think so?"

"So totally!" Chloe replied.

"Okay, okay…so what do we do about it?" April questioned.

"We'll have to think of something." Grace replied.

The bell rang for class and the girls went to their classes.


	10. Confessions of a Hotheaded Turtle

Chapter Ten

That night, the girls showed back at the Lair. They all winked to each other as April went to go sit on the couch. The other girls walked into the kitchen.

"Ugh…stupid math test. I wish I had studied more." April exaggerated.

The guys walked in after hearing April.

"What's going on, April?" Donnie questioned.

As the other three guys were about to follow Donnie, the girls pulled them into the kitchen.

"Um…This isn't going to keep us a secret if Splinter finds us." Leo whispered.

"Sorry, but we're trying a hunch and you were going to ruin it." Maeve replied.

"What hunch?" Raph questioned.

"To see if Donatello really does have crush on our little April."

"Clo? Did you really just describe April as our little girl?" Grace asked.

"Yep. Oh…I see what you mean. Sorry."

"And…you know you could've asked us, right?" Mikey questioned.

The girls popped up, feeling like idiots. Then they got smiles on their faces.

"Tell us everything!" The three girls demanded with glee.

Then Splinter started out of his room.

"Uh…Later, Grace. I gotta go."

"Why, Leo?"

"Splinter's coming this way!" Leo whispered as he crawled out of the kitchen.

As Leo was just crawling out, Master Splinter stood above him.

"Leonardo, why are you crawling on the ground?"

"Uh…um…we were playing…"

"Capture! We were playing capture with Leo!" Chloe said before tackling Leo. "See? I caught you, Leo!"

"Oh…Oh, no! I'm caught…Whatever shall I do?" Leo acted.

Master Splinter looked around.

"And where is Grace?"

"Uh…Over here, father!" Grace called.

Grace had snuck over to the couch with April and Donnie, who all had open textbooks.

"April and Donnie were helping me with my history homework." Grace added.

"Hmm…Just as long as you two are not together, it is fine with me. Just be careful and do not destroy the Lair."

"Y—Yes, Sensei—I mean, Hai, Sensei." Grace replied.

"Hai, Sensei." Leo added after Splinter turned to him.

"Good. Now, I have to leave. I will be back tomorrow night. While I am gone, I do not want Leonardo and Grace in the same room. Understood?"

"Hai, Sensei!" Everyone replied.

"I will back. Be careful. And do not leave the Lair, except for school."

And with that, Splinter was gone.

"Wow…now maybe you two could have a date without Splinter getting suspicious."

"No way, Donnie. Splinter's gonna come back tomorrow and watch the security cameras. He'll find out we left the Lair." Leo replied.

"What if you were here and on your date?" Donnie questioned.

"You know Splinter wants us to stay put while he's gone. And—How would we do that again?"

"Follow me." Everyone followed Donnie to his lab, where the cameras were on multiple screens. "You see? As soon as Splinter left, a looped video started. It'll keep going until he comes back."

"Donnie, that's amazing! Oh, thank you!" Grace said as she hugged him.

"You're welcome, Grace."

"Well, where do we go now?" Leo asked.

"Café! Mikey and I never got to go there! Please, Gracie!" Chloe begged.

"Alright, alright. Only if it's okay with Leo."

"Sure. I don't see why not."

"You guys could go where I work." Maeve suggested. "There'll hardly be anyone there tonight and my boss will be in the back, counting the profits for the week. I'll be the only waitress there since the other girls never show up anyways."

"Really? Oh, that'd be great! This'll be so much fun!" Chloe said.

"Wait, are you and Mikey…" Grace trailed off.

"Dating? Um…I don't know. We just wanna go to a café."

"Yeah, it's not like we have anything in common like Leo and Grace." Mikey added.

Then the two went over to the couch and sat upside down. After a moment, they turned to each other and blushed, turning away quickly.

"So, April…? Did you…you know?" Grace hinted.

"Huh? Oh, no. I was about to until Master Splinter interrupted." April replied.

"About to what?" Donnie questioned.

"Can I…talk to you…alone?" April asked.

Donnie followed April a little ways away from the others.

"What's going on?" Raph asked.

"Wait for it…" Maeve replied.

After a short conversation, that the others couldn't hear, Donnie was just standing there and then fell backward.

"Oh! Donnie, are you alright?" April asked as she kneeled down next to him.

"I—I think so. Did you…just…ask me…on a date?"

"Uh-huh. If you don't want to go then you could just-"

"No! I mean…" Donnie cleared his throat. "Sure…I'll go on a date with you, April."

"Great. Tonight, with Leo and Grace? We can have a triple date." April said.

Then the girls left.

"Whoo-hoo! I have a date with April O'Neil!" Donnie shouted.

"Uh…I think I have one too, with Chloe." Mikey said as he walked over.

"Really? How'd that happen?" Raph questioned.

"When Chloe and I sat down on the couch, we found out we both sit upside down. So then we started talking and she said we could just call it a 'test date' tonight."

"What?" The other three shouted.

"Yeah, I know! I'm actually liking it though. Chloe's so cool and sweet, and nice…and—AH! I'm in love with her!"

"Mikey, it's nothing to worry about. Leo likes Grace, and I like April."

"You don't understand! I'm in love…with a girl! And I have a date with her!"

"So?" Raph questioned.

"_So? So? _I'll tell you _so_! Chloe and I…we're…we should just be friends!"

"Why? What's so wrong, Mikey?"

"Donnie, I don't want Splinter to do to me what he did to Leo and Grace."

"Mikey, it won't happen because you aren't dating his _daughter_." Leo replied.

"Wait. Is that why you two aren't allowed to date?" Donnie questioned.

"Yeah. Splinter just doesn't want to lose her again."

"Well, it's understandable, but to lose her to you? Impossible, because you'll still be around him. She'll still be here."

"I know, it's just-" Leo sighed. "Let's just get ready for tonight."

"Hey, guys?" Raph questioned as he got his brothers' attention. "Would you mind if I tagged along?"

"Why would you want to do that? You'll be a third wheel." Donnie replied.

"I know, but…Now, don't laugh."

"What?" Leo questioned.

"I—I—I-" Raph sighed heavily. "Oh, forget it!"

"Raph, wait a second. Are you-"

"Ugh, fine! I—I'm in—I think I'm…in love with…" Raph mumbled.

"What was that last part?" Donnie questioned.

"I think I'm in love with…"

"Raph, you're mumbling. We can't understand you." Leo said.

"Will ya just say it?" Mikey added.

"Maeve!"

"What? What about Maeve?" Donnie questioned.

"I think I'm in love with Maeve! There, I said it!"

"Aw…Raphie's in love." Mikey said.

"Raph, I'm sure it's fine in you come with us." Leo said as everyone completely ignored Mikey's comment.

Back at Chloe and Maeve's house, the girls were getting ready for their dates, except Maeve, who was getting ready for work.

"Are you gonna laugh if I tell you something…I think is silly?" Maeve questioned as she was buttoning her blouse.

"No, we won't laugh." Grace replied as she brushed her thick hair.

"I think—I think I might be…in love…with…Raphael."

"What?" The three girls questioned.

"I know! I know! I'm so stupid!"

"It's not stupid, sis. You just…caught us off guard, is all." Chloe replied.

"Really?"

"Of course it isn't stupid. But…tell us everything! When did it happen?" Grace said as excitement consumed her voice.

Maeve sighed as she swung her body around the post of Chloe's bed.

"At…the Halloween party…when we were dancing."

"Oh…I knew something happened between you two!"

"Nothing happened, Chloe! Except…we almost…kissed."

The girls squealed in happiness.

"Keep going. What happened?"

Maeve sighed again.

"_Loving him is like driving a new Maserati down a dead end street. Faster than the wind, passionate as sin, ended so suddenly. Loving him is like trying to change your mind once you're already flying through the free fall. Like the colors in autumn, so bring just before they lose it all._"

Maeve fell back onto her bed.

"Yeah, whatever, Maeve. What's it feel like?" Chloe asked.

"_Losing him is blue like I'd never known. Missing him is dark grey all alone. Forgetting him is like trying to know someone you've never met. But loving him is red! Loving him is red." _Maeve stood up and walked over to the window. "_Touching him is like realizing all you ever wanted is right there in front of you. Memorizing him is as easy as knowing all the words to your old favorite song. Fighting with him is like trying to solve a crossword and realizing there's no right answer. Regretting him is like wishing you never found out love could be that strong._" Maeve's voice softened as she ended and sat down on the window seat.

"Oh my, gosh! Maeve, you've got it bad!" April said.

"I know! Oh, what do I do?"

"Well, tomorrow, when we go to pick up Grace for school, you could talk to him about it."

"Oh, that's a good idea. Raph's always playing a game with Leo." Grace agreed.

"O—Okay. But what if he doesn't like me back?"

"Then we move on." Chloe said happily.

"_Girls! Are you ready to go yet? We'll be late!_"

"Coming Grams!" Maeve said as she grabbed her jacket off the door and threw it on.

The girls all climbed into a huge van and got down town to a modern looking café. Climbing out, the guys were waiting outside with coats, hats, scarves, gloves, pants and boots on.

"Oh, guys. We thought you'd be a little late." Chloe said as she fixed the bottom of her dress.

"We showed a half an hour ago." Donnie replied.

"Sorry…Chloe and Maeve live further away than we thought they did." April replied before looking over and noticing Raph. "Raph? What are _you _doing here?"

"I—I…uh…"

"He had nothing better to do, so we thought of getting him out of the Lair for a little bit might be good for him." Leo saved.

"So you brought him with you?" Maeve questioned as she tied on her skates.

"I'm gonna sit away from them so I'm not in the way of their…gushy-lovey…thing." Raph said.

"Nice save…" Donnie whispered sarcastically.

"Well, let's get inside before we all freeze." Grace said as rubbed her arms.

Everyone entered the café and saw how cool it really was. Edgy tables, counter, a juke box in the back corner, and lit almost dimly. Dance music was blasting from the juke box and a few teens had started dancing to it. A bell rang from a small window behind the counter.

"Maeve! You're late! Hurry up!" A man shouted from the window.

"I'm not late you crabby chef! You're just mad because none of the other girls showed up _again_!" Maeve shouted back.

"Should you really be talking to your boss like that, Maeve?" April questioned.

"It's alright. I'm the best thing that's happened to this place since it went into business. He wouldn't fire me, even if he had the chance. And even if he did, I'd quit first."

"Got three orders! Hurry it up, Maeve!"

"I'm coming! I'm coming! Sheesh…Have fun you guys. I'll talk to you when I can."

And with that, Maeve skated behind the counter to do her job.

"I'm gonna sit at the counter." Raph said as he walked away.

The others picked a giant corner booth for all of them to share. The girls sat on side and the guys on the other, making Chloe and Mikey in the middle. The sextet sat quietly in the booth. Nervous and uncomfortable, they didn't know what to say or do for that matter. At the counter, Raph watched carefully as his brothers' dates weren't going as hoped. He sighed before face palming himself. Maeve skated over as she was drying a shake glass, and tapped on the counter a few times with her nail.

"What's wrong with you, Raph?"

"Their date…over there." Raph said before pointing to his brothers' table.

"Huh? Maybe they're nervous. I've got an idea. Wait here."

Then Maeve skated and made six different shakes on a tray quickly and brought them to the table.

"Here you go. Six shakes for the table." Maeve said slightly.

"We didn't order yet." Donnie pointed.

"It's on the house." Maeve whispered.

"Mmm…mint chocolate chip. My favorite." Chloe said.

"Enjoy guys." Maeve said as she skated over to Raph.

"Now what?" Raph questioned.

"Watch and learn, big guy." Maeve replied.

"Mmm…What flavor do you like, April?" Grace asked after sipping a chocolate shake.

"Me? Um…Blueberry blitz."

"Blueberry blitz?" Mikey questioned.

"Yeah. It has blueberries, strawberry milk and…a little bit of cinnamon sprinkled on the whipped cream."

"That does sound good." Grace replied.

"Maybe this weekend we could go get some downtown."

"That sounds like a great idea. But Grace and I can't be seen together." Leo said.

"Oh, yeah…Hmm…What if we brought some to the Lair?" April suggested.

"That's a good idea." Donnie replied.

"Ah!"

"Chloe, what's wrong?" Mikey asked.

"Brain freeze! Oh…that hurts."

"I keep telling you not to drink frozen drinks so fast."

"I know…but this is _so _good."

"Maeve did make pretty good milk shakes." Grace agreed. "I guess she is good at one thing."

"Are you two always this bitter?" April questioned.

"It's how we became friends."

"You two fight and you're friends?" Mikey asked.

"Uh-huh. They're more like sisters than me and Maeve are." Chloe replied.

Then _Mambo number 5 _started on the jukebox.

"Oh, I love this song." April said.

"Really?" Donnie questioned.

"Yeah. Chloe got me hooked on it the first week we met."

After a moment, Donnie scooted out of the booth and stood potently holding out one hand toward April.

"Huh?" April noticed confused.

"April, can I…uh…Can I have this dance?"

April thought for a second, Donnie trying to prepare himself for the rejection, and took his hand before standing up.

"Sure. I'll dance, Donnie." April replied.

"Aw…they are so cute." Chloe said.

"But not as cute as Raph and Maeve over there." Grace pointed out after looking over her shoulder.

Raph and Maeve were talking to each other and laughing they'd been friends forever.

"I don't know. You really think Raph would go for a relationship?" Chloe questioned.

"Not with one us maybe, but with Maeve…Could be fate."

"Rule number three, Grace."

"I didn't say that. I said fate."

"What's rule number three?" Leo asked.

"Chloe has these rules to live by. Rule number three is: _There is no such thing as a coincidence._ She got them from this television show we watch." Grace explained.

"Whoa!" Chloe whispered.

"What?" Grace asked.

"Either Maeve tripped over the counter, or Raph and Maeve have been dating behind our backs." Chloe replied.

"Why would you even think that?"

"Because…Grace…the two of them are locking lips." Chloe giggled.

"What?" Grace questioned before she turned around the corner of the booth. "Oh my, gosh! They are! Leo, look." Grace whispered.

"I got a picture." Leo replied.

"Confront him later?"

"Confront both of them later."

After a while, the group was having a fun time and talking. Outside, across the street and on top of the building, was Karai. She was standing, watching Leo have the time of his life at the café with Grace.

"That wretch…She'll pay…She will pay." Karai hissed to the wind.


	11. Stake Out and Save

Chapter Eleven

Karai jumped down and walked to the middle of the street. Pulling out a pocket bazooka, she fired it at the window where the group sat. Blowing the window, the sextet were blown across the floor. Maeve and Raph hurried over to help.

"What happened?" Maeve questioned.

Then Karai jumped into the hole she made.

"Karai…" Raph hissed.

"Hello, Raphael…" Karai replied slyly.

Raph lunged at Karai, missing completely after she moved. Continuously trying to land a strike, Raph was beginning to tire. Maeve jumped over and swept Karai's feet.

"Sorry, I'm late. Had to put on my kunoichi uniform." Maeve apologized.

"Well, thanks for finally showing up."

Karai had gotten up and kicked Maeve away. While trying to strike Raph, he rolled out of the way.

"No one hurts my sister!"

Chloe, in her kunoichi uniform, tackled Karai to the ground. After a moment of struggling, Karai had flipped Chloe under her, in attempt to choke Chloe with a chain.

"Hold on, Chloe!" Mikey jumped over, knocking Karai off of Chloe.

"Way to go, Mikey!" April cheered, in kunoichi uniform.

Mikey helped Chloe to her feet.

"Thank you, Mikey." Chloe said.

Karai, landing on her feet, flipped over to Leo, who was just getting up. She kicked him in the face, sending him flying into the stone counter.

"Leo!" Grace shouted as she attempted to get up.

One of her legs had gotten stuck under some heavy rubble of the building's blast. Karai, who weakened the others, walked over to Grace. With ease, she moved the rubble, freeing Grace. Before Grace could move a centimeter to Leo, Karai grabbed Grace's ankle that had been caught, causing her to scream in horrible pain.

"Oh, sorry…Is that your bad ankle? Here, let me help you."

Karai squeezed harder around Grace's ankle, screaming louder. Karai let go, Grace in so pain that she curled into a ball. Karai walked over to Leo, who was still in pain from the slam, and she lifted his head.

Leaning next to his ear, Karai whispered, "If you won't join me, Leonardo, then I'm just going to take what you love. I'm going to take Grace away from you, once and for all."

"No…" Leo strained.

"What are you going to do? You can't even get up. Sayonara, Leo."

Karai, dragging Grace, left the café.

In a white area, one that seemed to go forever, Leo stood. Stood all alone. There was no one around.

"Hello? Hello? Is there anyone here?" Leo called.

"_Leo…Leo…Leo…_" A female voice called gently.

"Huh? Who—Who's there?" Leo asked the empty white room.

"_Wake up, Leo_…"

"Grace? Grace, is that you? Where are you?"

"_Leo…Wake up…Wake up…_I said wake up!" The gently female voice drifted into a droning male voice.

Leo sat up straight before checking his surroundings, finally seeing that his brothers were sitting there in worry.

"Grace? W—Where's Grace?" Leo stuttered.

"Leo, calm down, bro…You took a pretty hard slam into the counter." Raph said trying to get his brother to lie back down.

"No, I want to see Grace. Where is Grace?"

"Leonardo, listen to your brother…Rest now." Sensei replied.

"I'm sorry, Sensei, but I can't. I need to see Grace."

"Leo…Karai—Karai…took Grace. We don't know where they went." Donnie said.

"I—I—Oh…it's all my fault!" Leo cried.

"Leonardo…It was not your fault. I should not have separated you two. I see now that was on me." Splinter said.

"Sensei, no…I was the one that was disobeying you in the first place. Grace and I…we—We shouldn't have snuck dates behind your back."

"You were having secret dates? Hmm…" Splinter questioned gently.

"Hai, Sensei. I am sorry."

"Don't be, Leonardo. Now all you should do is find her, bring her home safely."

"Hai, Sensei." Leo replied after standing up. "Where are the girls?"

"We were just getting ready." April replied as the three girls walked in.

All three were wearing their kunoichi uniforms, but with weapons this time. Chloe had a pair of Kama (tonfa). Maeve had an **Arbir Spear Weapon. **April had a bow/arrow.

"And now we're ready to kick some butt!" Maeve cheered.

"Maeve!"

"Oops, sorry, Sensei. I mean…teach Karai a lesson?"

Splinter nodded in agreement.

"Let's go get Grace back." Leo said.

"You took the words right out of my mouth, Leo." April said.

"What?" Donnie questioned.

"You didn't know? April's _our _leader." Chloe said as she rested an elbow on April's shoulder.

"April, your leader of the girl unit?" Leo questioned.

"Yeah. Since I've had more training in the ninja technique, and Grace wouldn't be leader, I stepped up. Pretty cool, huh?"

"W—Wow…Co-leadership on this mission?"

"Why not? Ready girls?"

"Ready, boss." The twins replied.

"Boss, huh?"

"Their joke. I told you not to call me that, you guys!"

"It's funny, April." Chloe said.

April just rolled her eyes.

"Ready?" April sighed.

"We've been ready." Raph said.

"Great…Where do we start?" Mikey asked.

"Well, while you guys were waking up Leo, Chloe did some research on the Foot and Shredder, and, most importantly…Karai." April started as they headed to the next room.

"I found this building in Chinatown that's been abandon for years. It didn't seem like much at first, but when I found pictures…I saw the Foot symbol faintly on the roof of it. Must've been an old hideout to train soldiers or something." Chloe continued.

"Yeah…But what does that building have anything to do with Grace?" Leo asked.

"You didn't let me finish. I tapped into the cameras in the area and saw this a few minutes ago."

Chloe pulled up a live feed of a security camera that showed someone going into the building.

"Can you pull up the person?" Donnie questioned.

"I tried. It's too blurry, even with the tech you've got."

"Great…so a goose chase?" Raph asked.

"_But…_when I pulled it up, the person seemed to fit the description of Karai. Plus they're carrying a large bag that could fit someone around the size of Grace."

"Let's go." Leo said.

"Leo, wait…The building's too dark to see inside. What if it isn't her?" Maeve asked.

"We'll just have to take the chance that it is, girls. Come on." April replied.

The group left for the building. Walking around in disguise, the five snuck to the roof across from the building they were scouting. It had been a half an hour before Chloe got an idea of how to pass the time. Pulling April with her, they walked over to Maeve. All three were dead silent.

"Uh…What's up?" Maeve asked, breaking the silence.

"So…" Chloe rang.

"_So…_What?" Maeve asked.

Chloe elbowed April, who returned it with a strange look.

"You and Raph…duh!" Chloe sighed.

"What about me and Raph?"

"How long have you two been…you know…going out?" Chloe asked playfully.

"Wait…What?"

"Oh, yeah! We saw you two kiss back at the café. So…how long?" April joined in.

"I am _not _going out with Raphael."

"You two kissed…You said you liked him." April said.

"I know what I said. It's just—Ugh! It was nothing! Just leave me alone."

"Maeve…What happened? Did he say he didn't like you too?" Chloe asked.

"No…he said he _did _like me."

"Aw…Wait, so what's wrong?"

"It wasn't supposed to happen…That kiss." She sighed. "Look…When Raph and I were talking about you guys having your date, he thought of how funny it would be if he went out with someone. So, when I finally gained the courage, after dealing with a costumer, I told him I…sort of…kind of…liked him."

"So what'd he say?" Chloe asked.

"He didn't for a while. But after I finished clearing a lot of the booths, I came back around the counter and I was asking him if he wanted anything. He answered with _I like you too_. It was awkward after that so I got him some pie and I put it on the counter in front of him. When I turned back around to him with some whipped cream, my skate broke and I tripped. I fell over the counter and we sort of…kind of…accidently…kissed."

"Oh, my gosh. That's so cute." Chloe squealed.

"No it's not, Chloe! It was a mistake. Now I don't think it'll ever be me and him." Maeve said.

Back over with the guys, Leo was looking from the building to his brother. After a few times, Raph wasn't where he was sitting anymore.

"Leo…"

"Ah!"

Raph had snuck around to the other side of Leo and startled him a little. Startled him enough where Leo was falling back off the building. Raph grabbed Leo's arm just before he was out of reach.

"Man, Leo…you're real trouble. You know that?"

"I wouldn't have been if you didn't sneak up on me like that."

"I wouldn't have snuck up on you like that if you weren't glancing at me every five seconds."

"Well…I—I—I wouldn't be glancing at you if you hadn't kissed Maeve back at the café."

"Wha—What are you talking about? I did not kiss Maeve…She kissed me."

"So…are you two going out now?" Mikey asked jokingly.

Raph smacked Mikey on the back of the head.

"Shut up!" Raph whispered.

"What happened, Raph?" Donnie asked.

"I don't know. One minute she's getting me food, and the next thing I know she's locked lips with me."

"Why don't you-"

"Guys…Chloe saw something in the window of the building across the street. We're gonna go check it out." April said.

"Maybe we better come with you. Just in case Karai tries to sneak up on you." Leo suggested.

"We can handle ourselves, Leo." April replied.

As the girls were about to leave, Donnie grabbed April's arm, causing her to stop and turn back.

"One of you already got snatched tonight, April. I don't want you to get hurt as well. Please, let us blend in the shadows." Donnie, almost, begged.

April looked at the other two, knowing she didn't want to lose another one of her unit. She turned back to Donnie as sighed.

"Fine. But stick to the shadows. We don't need you four getting spotted by civilians."

The girls left and, changed into regular clothes, walked into a small restaurant across the street. The four guys snuck in from the roof, and crawled into the air shafts. April, right after walking in, dialed Leo on her T-Phone.

"_Hello?_"

"Leo, where are you guys?"

"_In the air shafts. Hold on a second, April._"

Then a loud crash was heard from one of the bathrooms. Rushing over, the girls busted into the ladies bathroom, locking the door behind them. The four guys had crashed through the air shafts into the ladies bathroom, which was empty, thank goodness.

"Are you four alright?" Chloe asked as she helped them up.

"Yeah, I think so. Thanks Chloe." Mikey replied.

It was empty, except for one stall.

"Guys, shush." Maeve whispered as she saw a pair of feet under one of the stalls.

"What's wrong, Maeve?" April questioned.

Maeve motioned that someone was inside the stall. April pulled Maeve back and motioned Chloe to _open _the stall. After nodding in agreement, Chloe walked over and side kicked the stall open. Inside was Grace, out cold and holding something in cloth.

"Gracie?" Chloe questioned gently as she touched Grace's hair.

Grace groaned a little. Leo walked into the stall, after Chloe got out of the way, and unwrapped the cloth hidden object. Inside was a bomb.

"Oh, man. Why does she have a bomb?" Maeve asked.

"Not just any bomb. It's a small ranged, mutagen bomb. Karai plans on destroying us and anyone else with in the square foot of this bathroom." Donnie explained.

"We have to defuse it." Chloe said.

"I can't within three minutes."

"We can't get far away enough either." April explained.

"I got this." Chloe said as she took one of Raph's sai's.

Trying to defuse it was hard enough, but getting it into position where it wouldn't go off, that was trickier. The bomb was so sensitive; they couldn't just lift it as it was. Chloe cut one of the wires and the minutes went to seconds, sixty seconds were on the clock. Donnie pushed in, pushing Chloe out, and the clock rang. As the guys, in front, screamed and covered their faces, the girls pushed them out of the way and landed in the stall, which locked itself shut. The girls screamed as they were covered in the mutagen, then the screams went silent for only a few moments before they started again.

"What? Girls? What happened?" Donnie questioned as he pressed his ear on the door.

"Uh…nothing!" April replied, nervously.

"You were blasted with mutagen, April! You couldn't have stayed human!" Leo argued.

"How about this? You don't _want _to know!" Maeve replied.

"Maeve!" April whispered as a hard smack was heard through the door.

"Ow! April hit me!"

"Geez, way to sound like Chloe, Maeve."

"I _am_ Chloe!"

"Oops, sorry."

"Just open the door, girls." Raph said as he slammed his hand on the door.

"No way!"

"Do you need clothes or something?" Mikey asked.

The other three guys shot looks at him but calmed them when April replied.

"Yes…Just give us the duffle bag."

Mikey grabbed the bag and slid it under the door. A few minutes later, the girls opened the door a little.

"Now…don't laugh." April ordered.

"We won't." Leo replied.

Then the girls opened the door the rest of the way, the guys looking terrified and horrified at what they saw before them.


	12. New Home, New Life

Chapter Twelve

_Then the girls opened the door the rest of the way_. One at a time the four girls walked out of the stall. April, Maeve, and Chloe's skins turned green, shells were attached to their bodies, their fingers and toes went from five to three on each. They still had their hair though. Grace's skin turned to fur, she had faint whiskers, her hands and feet turned into paws, and an elegant tail grew behind her.

"We got turned into turtles. And Grace got turned into a…"

"A mouse, Chloe. I am a mouse. How am I a mouse?"

"The mutagen bomb…"

"I know, Donnie. But, I wasn't touching—My necklace. It must've had some of father's DNA on it."

"We got turned into turtles because we pushed you four out of the way." April explained.

Then there was loud banging and yelling from outside the door.

"How are we supposed to get out of here before that mob breaks down the door?" Maeve asked.

"Follow us." Leo said before jumping into the air shafts.

Starting to walk under the vents, the girls almost tripped over their new feet. They tried jumping, but the vent seemed too far above them. The guys leaned down and pulled them up, escaping before the manger unlocked the bathroom and rushed inside with a bunch of women behind him. Getting outside and on the roofs, the girls tripped getting over the small wall there and just sat down.

"I wanna go home…!" Chloe whined.

"We can't, Chloe." Maeve replied, sadly.

"Ah!" April screamed as she tried to walk and tripped. "Oh! How do you walk like this?"

"Kind of born that way, April."

"Wah! I want Grandmamma, Maeve."

The girls were kind of freaking out, except for Grace. She sat there, trying to think of how this would affect her father, her love, and her future. But over all this commotion, it was hard to think. Grace finally kicked a radiator, getting everyone's attention.

"Listen! I know this is hard, girls, but we have to stop whining!"

"Grace…Just-"

"No, Leo! Look, I've beat up, broken, kidnapped **and **mutated all within two days! We've been trained to adapt to situations, right? So, we **adapt** to this situation."

"What do you suggest we do?" April asked.

"You three write individual notes and sneak into your homes, leaving them where your families can find them. They can say that you ran away, for example…"

"I don't wanna run away!" Chloe cried.

Grace walked over to Chloe, and sat down next to her friend.

"Chloe, you don't have a choice. Your family won't understand how you got mutated. We need to keep it a secret, understand?"

Chloe cuddled onto Grace's shoulder, and Grace hugged her.

"Alright…Do we stay at the Lair?"

"For now, that'll probably be the best idea."

"Okay."

April was trying to walk a straight line, but kept failing. She was getting frustrated.

"April…stop worrying about how to walk right now, will ya? Geez!"

"How are we supposed to get around, let alone back to the Lair, with only three toes?"

April continued to practice. Grace got up and walked over to her, resting a hand on April's shoulder.

"We'll have to try." Grace said.

"We'll help you four." Mikey added.

April looked at her friends and then at Grace. She realized she had no choice.

"Alright." April sighed.

"Okay. Come on. Let's get out of here before someone spots us." The others agreed and started off. Grace caught April before she got too far. "April, I know this is hard for you, but…everything will be just fine."

"Thanks, Grace."

Finally getting close to the Lair, Splinter could hear the quiet squeals of the girls trying to walk. He stood up as they approached the entrance.

"Did you find Grace?" He asked.

"Yes, Sensei, but…" Leo stepped out of the way as the girls were trying to walk down the stairs. "They got mutated."

Splinter's worried face went into utter rage.

"How did this happen?"

"Karai knocked me out and planted a mutagen bomb in my lap. She was planning on destroying the guys, father."

His anger eased when Grace called him father, not realizing it was his daughter.

"Grace?"

"Yes, father. I…I was changed into a mouse."

Splinter walked over and held her face gently.

"Oh, my daughter. I was trying to protect you from this, but it seems I-"

"It wasn't your fault. I let myself into this world. And…I'm glad I did."

"You are?"

"Yes, I truly am. If I never stayed here that one night, I would never had found out you were my father. I, also…" Grace walked over to Leo and held his hands. "I, also, would have never met Leonardo."

"I see…" Splinter said wonderingly.

"Father, please don't be angry. Leo and I, we're just…I love him."

"And I love Grace, Sensei." Leo added.

Splinter thought about this for a moment before setting a hand on Leo's shoulder.

"Leonardo…!" He started angrily, but started to smile. "I give you permission to date my daughter."

"You do?" Leo questioned.

"Yes…I see now that I was only being over protective of my daughter. I did not want to lose her again."

"Oh, thank you, father!" Grace hugged her father.

Later that night, April, Chloe and Maeve snuck to their old homes. After everyone was asleep, they went inside and packed up a few things they wanted and needed, and left notes.

The notes read: _I just need to explore the world a little more. I feel stuck in a rut and want to good explore. I love you but I need to leave the old life behind and go on my own._

After finishing their packing, they met up at the Lair. April was the last one to arrive, she looked upset. Donnie walked over and stopped her.

"You okay, April?"

April just sighed and continued to Grace's room.

"Don't worry, Donnie. She'll be okay." Chloe replied after walking over. "Night."

The girls left for Grace's room as well and closed the door behind them. The next morning, the guys were just sitting around doing nothing special. The girls hadn't even squeaked the door open a little bit since the night before.

"You think they'll be okay?" Donnie questioned, guilt blanketed every word that escaped him.

"They were mutated and had to leave their old lives behind, Donnie. What do you think?" Raph replied.

Donnie sighed and continued to look at girls' room door, hoping April would just walk out and be normal. But he knew it wouldn't happen like that. Mikey got up and walked over to the door, pressing his ear to the cold metal. He was worried about Chloe and the way she acted last night; she wasn't the happiest about getting mutated. But what he was hearing now was definitely **not **what he was expecting to hear inside.

"Hey, you guys, you got to listen to this." Mikey whispered to his brothers.

The other three came over, thinking it was something ridiculous, like it usually was with Mikey.

"What is it Mikey?" Leo questioned.

"Listen…" Mikey whispered.

The three shrugged and pressed their ears to the door with Mikey, just amused him, and they heard faint pop dance music from the opposite side of door. Inside, the girls were dancing and singing to a South Korean group. (_Girl's Generation. _I do NOT own them either!)

"Punkadelic crazy night!" Maeve sang.

"Tokimeki star, no searching light!" Grace afterward.

"Bad boy, bad girl, kinishinai!" April sang along.

"Odoru sareru yori, odoru ga style!" Chloe chimed.

"Life is a party! Tamechi hodo ureru! Mitsukatta razai ga boom, boom, boom!" They all sang before falling onto Grace's bed laughing.

They're fun was cut short as a knocking echoed from the door. Turning down the music, Maeve cracked the door open a little bit, the guys couldn't see them.

"What?" Maeve asked.

"Maeve, it's us. We just wanted to know how you were doing and…"

"If you're coming out soon." Raph finished not wanting to beat around the bush.

Maeve was going to respond but Grace stopped her and Maeve walked back over to the bed, lying down. Grace walked all the way out of the room, closing the door behind her.

"Hi…"

"Hey…" Leo responded.

Grace sighed.

"Listen, we're just trying to settle into our new bodies. We'll come later…maybe."

"Are you-?"

"We're alright, Mikey." Grace cut off. She looked over her shoulder and turned back to the guys. "I think April's hit the worst. She didn't say a word all night and then the only sentence she's said this morning were when we were singing a moment ago."

Then Grace saw the guilty look Donnie had. He kept thinking it was his fault this happened to April, that she was mutated.

"But she's setting better now, I think. And…she doesn't blame you at all."

"She doesn't?"

"No, not at all. She's probably mad at the Kraang and Karai more than she could ever be at you guys. It's not your guys' fault this happened, alright? Don't blame yourselves."

"_Gracie! Maeve's hurting me again!_" Chloe cried.

"I better get back inside. The twins are at it again." Grace rolled her eyes.

The guys walked away before Grace started walking back in. Just before she disappeared, someone grabbed her hand. Turning back, she saw it was Raph.

"Uh…What's up, Raph?"

"I gotta know something."

"What do you wanna know?"

"I wanna know if-"

"_Grace! A little help?!_"April called.

"Coming! Sorry, you were saying?"

"I wanted to know…how…Maeve was doing."

"Maeve's just mad. She's…upset about the mutating thing more, but…I think you should talk to her…later. Let her cool first and then talk to her."

"Thanks, Grace. I just feel…"

"It's alright, Raph." Then there was a loud crash inside the room. "I better get going. See ya."

Later that evening, the guys were training when everyone stopped from a small creak from the girls' door. The four snuck out slowly and gently, sitting on the couch.

"Let us continue tomorrow." Splinter said.

"Sensei, are you sure?" Leo questioned.

"Yes. Now go."

"Thank you, Sensei." The four bowed and then ran over to the couch area.

Just before they were in the indented area of couches, Grace stopped them.

"Guys, wait. They're like deer, you can't spook them." She explained.

The guys nodded in understandment and carefully walked over. As Leo, Donnie, and Mikey tried talking to April and Chloe, Raph sat next to Maeve.

"Can I talk to you?" Raph asked.

She looked at him, excepting him to just talk.

"In private?" He added as he pointed to the next room.

Maeve sighed and followed Raph to the next room. He closed the door behind them so no one would interrupt their talk. There was a long silence as Raph leaned on the door and Maeve leaned on the table. Raph stopped leaning and walked a little bit forward, toward Maeve.

"What did you want to talk about?" Maeve finally asked, breaking the dead silence.

Raph walked up to her so they were only a couple inches apart.

"Maeve?" Raph leaned in closer, putting his hands on the table.

"Y—Yes, Raph?"

"I—I—I…just…wanted to know how you're feeling."

Maeve's sudden blush quickly faded as she pushed him away.

"How I'm feeling? How I'm feeling?! How do you think I'm feeling, Raph?!"

"I don't know. That's why I asked."

"I'll tell you how I'm feeling! My best friend gets kidnapped, we get mutated and the one guy I like, I accidently kiss and won't even talk to me again!" Maeve shouted.

"Wait, what was that last part?" Raph questioned.

"The one guy I like, I accidently kiss and won't even talk to me again!"

"What do you mean?"

"What do I mean?"

"Yeah!" Raph asked, getting his voice louder.

"I accidently kissed you and you didn't say a gosh-darn thing to me 'til you asked to talk alone!"

"Really?!"

"Yes, really!"

"Is that so?!"

"Yes, it is!"

What Maeve didn't notice was how Raph was getting closer and closer to her as they argued.

"Well, then I'm gonna have to show you how I felt about it, won't I?!"

"Yeah, I guess—Wait, wha-?"

But before Maeve could finish her question, Raph had already kissed her. Maeve, wide eyed, slowly closed her eyes, kissing back. After a moment, they pushed away gently, like the other was to shatter if they pushed away too hard and too fast.

"So…" Maeve started again.

"So…" Raph added.

"Wow…That—That was…"

"Yeah."

"But…" Maeve slipped from Raph completely. "Are _you _ready? Are _we_?" Maeve asked with pleading eyes.

Raph walked over and held Maeve's, smaller than his, green hands and pressed his forehead on hers.

"I think we are."

Then, without really thinking, Maeve and Raph kissed again. Without knowing it, the others were watching and were smiling. After a moment, Maeve saw they were watching and pushed Raph off.

"Uh…hey guys." She said before Raph could ask why she pushed away.

Raph turned and saw his brothers and the girls now, his face bright red.

"Uh…how long…were you standing there?" Raph asked.

"Long enough." Mikey replied.

The girls smiled silently at Maeve, who returned it, while Raph tried to pound his brothers.


	13. New Love is Found

Chapter Thirteen

The next day, the girls were trying regular training and were practicing pretty well, except for Chloe. Going against April, Chloe usually won, but…not this time.

"Ah! Ow…" Chloe groaned as April flipped and pinned her to the ground.

"Sorry, Chloe. I thought you were gonna get me, like you always do."

"It's okay." She sighed before getting up. "Master Splinter?"

"Yes, Chloe?"

"May I please be excused from training today? I don't feel very well."

Master Splinter was very quiet, he wasn't sure if he should've let Chloe go or not, but the look in her eyes looked like they still needed time to rest, so he nodded.

"Just let me know if you change your mind, Chloe."

"Thank you, Master Splinter." Chloe bowed.

After leaving the dojo, Chloe started for the couch, but saw Mikey and left for the subway tunnel. Raph, noticing Chloe leaving, elbowed Mikey.

"I didn't do anything, Raph. I'm leaving you alone."

"I know."

"Then, why'd-"

"I elbowed you because Chloe left for the subway tunnels. Have you even talked to her since she got mutated?"

"No. I've tried but she keeps running away from me. It's like she thinks I'm gonna hurt her or something."

"Maybe you better follow her. She doesn't know the tunnels very well." Donnie suggested.

Back with Chloe, she had walked a long time and was scared and tired. She finally stopped and sat on the small walk way of the tunnel. Noticing a puddle under her, she looked at her reflection. Seeing her new form, Chloe gently touched her face, hoping it was a trick of the mind, but it wasn't. A silent tear fell from her eye and splashed into the puddle, ripples spread around the puddle. When the ripples were gone, Mikey's reflection appeared. Startled, she looked up and wrapped herself with her arms and bent her knees close.

"It's just me, Chloe. There's no need to be afraid." Mikey said gently.

Chloe covered her face and started crying. Mikey walked over, sat down next to her and hugged Chloe close. She pushed away, but Mikey grabbed her small hand.

"Why are you here? How could you…look at me…like—like this?" She asked as voice had become gentler than it was when she was human.

"Because…under all that green, you're still that same Chloe I met six months ago."

"But on the outside-"

"…Same old Chloe."

"How?"

"You're still her. You're still Chloe. The same Chloe who loves animals, has a pet named Vicky, loves mint chocolate shakes, and…still the same Chloe who smiles and laughs at everything dark and scary so it'll go away."

"Really?"

"Yep. I know it."

Chloe giggled a little and then sighed, her sadness returning.

"Thanks, Mikey. You made me feel a little bit better. But…I still wish I could go home. I miss my grandparents and they must be worried about Maeve and me missing."

Mikey sighed and then thought of where the two were sitting. He looked up at the wall behind them, seeing the tunnel number of an active subway. Then a distant horn screamed through the tunnel, heading right for them.

"What's that noise?" Chloe asked, scared of the loud noise.

"It's the eleven o'clock subway!" Mikey shouted.

The two got up and started running for safety, but the train was coming hot behind them. Mikey grabbed Chloe and pushed her against the wall, covering her with his own to make sure she didn't get hurt as the subway passed the two. After the train disappeared from sight, Chloe and Mikey were still face and face.

"T—Thank you…for saving me…again. You can let me down now." Chloe said as a slight blush appeared across her face.

"You're—You're welcome…Uh…oh, sorry, right. Getting down." Mikey replied.

Then Mikey climbed down and helped Chloe afterward.

"Let's get back. The others are gonna start to worry." Mikey said.

Chloe sighed and then nodded. After a while, the two got back and Maeve practically tackled Chloe in a hug.

"Oh…I was so worried. Are you alright?"

"I'm fine Maeve. Mikey saved me from getting hit by a subway."

Maeve turned to Mikey and smiled gently.

"Thank you for saving her, Mikey."

"No problemo."

Chloe walked away to talk to Grace and April. Just before Maeve was going to follow, Mikey grabbed her arm.

"Huh? Mikey, what's up?"

"I gotta ask you something…about Chloe?"

"What about her?"

"It's nothing bad…It's just…I want her to feel more at home here, but no matter what I say, or do, nothing seems to bring back that giggly, happy Chloe I met about six months ago for more than twenty seconds. Is there _anything _I can say or do?"

"Besides turning back time? No…"

"Aw…"

"Well…There is this one thing you could probably do."

"What?" Mikey asked as suspicious covered his face.

"Well, there's this song that Pop-pop used to sing to Chloe when she was sad or upset about something."

"Could you teach it to me? Please…?"

"Alright, alright. I'll teach it to ya."

So Maeve taught the song to Mikey for the rest of the day and then next day, Chloe came out late in the morning, but Mikey was prepared. Chloe walked over to the living room and tried to turn on the television, but it wouldn't work. So then she went to the kitchen, it was closed up with locked doors. So Chloe decided to train a little bit, but when she started, Mikey snuck up behind her.

"Chloe?"

"Ah! Mikey!"

"Sorry…I need to talk to you."

"You talked to me yesterday, Mikey. There's nothing else you could do for me."

"_Monday, well baby I fell for you. Tuesday, I wrote you this song. Wednesday, I wait outside your door, even though I know it's wrong."_

"Mikey what are-"

"_7 days a week, every hour of the month. Gonna let you know where my heart is coming from. I shouldn't feel this way, but I gotta say, baby I gotta let you know. I will try everything, to make you come closer to me, and to make you believe that it's not just a phase."_

"Where did you—Maeve…Mikey, listen I-"

"_How can I get it through? You're the one I can't lose. I will try 365 days, 365 ways to get you. _Please, Chloe?"

Chloe smiled slightly and sighed.

"Fine. _Every second I want you all to myself._"

"_Every second, every second, every tick-tick of the clock. I just can't handle myself, feeling kind of guilty._" They started together.

"_But girl I can't stop. Girl I don't want nobody else. No one else, no one else." _Mikey sang alone.

"_I will try everything, to make you come closer to me. I'll try 365 days, 365 ways to get to you_." The two ended together.

After they stopped, Chloe hugged Mikey.

"Thank you…Thank you so much, Mikey."

"Anything to see that smile of yours again."

Chloe leaned back.

"Is that what this was, huh? Well, then…" Chloe smiled. "The song worked."

"Chloe…I—Uh—I've gotta ask you something as well."

"Huh? What…is it?"

The other six were in, or behind, the tree and listening, which Mikey forgot about.

"What is he doing?" Maeve whispered.

"Oh…I think Mikey's asking Chloe to be his girlfriend. This is so exciting." Grace whispered back.

"You…are too easily excited nowadays, Grace." Maeve said.

"What? Chloe did say she liked Mikey."

"When did she say that?" Donnie asked.

"Before our café date. We were getting ready and she told us she really liked Mikey. She thought he was funny." April replied.

"Hey, you're talking." Raph said.

"Shut it." April snapped.

"Guys…I'm trying to listen." Leo whispered.

The next thing they knew, Chloe was kissing Mikey.

"I'm gonna say Chloe said yes." Raph said.

Maeve and Grace ran over and hugged Chloe.

"What are you girls doing here?"

"We helped Mikey with the song. But we didn't know he was going to ask you to be his girlfriend." Grace said.

"Y—Yeah…About that…"

"What?" Maeve asked.

"I've wanted to ask her a while ago but…"

"But Mikey was afraid that Master Splinter was going to do what he did to me and Grace, forbid him from dating Chloe." Leo explained.

"Oh…Mikey…" Chloe walked over and gently touched his face. "We would've found a way. Just like we did for Grace and Leo."

"I know that now."

Chloe hugged her new boyfriend in new happiness. Now…Donnie just had to get April back to her old self again.


End file.
